


Home

by GallusRostromegalus



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, And I mean slow, But I promise to keep working on it whenever i have the chance, I'm sorry I don't update this more often but I am trying for an actual plot with twists and stuff, LOL what is canon?, Multi, Order 66, Padme lives and kicks ass, Slow Burn, buckle in kids it's gonna be a long and bumpy ride, other important people live too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-03-02 05:00:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 43,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2800478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GallusRostromegalus/pseuds/GallusRostromegalus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spectacularly non-canon compliant AU in which things start going wrong for Palpatine and 66 goes... sideways.  Afterwards, Rex and Ahsoka have to re-build their lives in a wildly different universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1:  In Which A Wrench Is Thrown, And Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms Are Used.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OK! Here's Ch 1 of the re-boot of Home (I'll delete the other two in a minute), the tile is pretty self explanatory.

**Chapter 1: In which a wrench is thrown, and unhealthy coping mechanisms are used.**

**Coruscant, Jedi Knight Temple 20:00 (Sunset)**

*

_"I can't stay here any longer, not now."_

_"The Jedi order is your life! You can't just throw it away like this. Ahsoka, you are making a mistake!"_

_"Maybe, but I have to sort this out on my own, without the council, and without you."_

_"I understand." He sighed. "More than you realize, I understand wanting to walk away from the order."_

_"I know." She looked back at him, turned away and strode from her master and the temple._

*

Ahsoka descended the steps of the temple -were there always this many?- And forced herself not to look up. He'd be standing there, she knew, watching her go, and he'd still be there, long after she left. I can't look back. If I look back I'll never be able to leave. She forcibly stared at her feet. 

The 'retirement' office was staffed by temple crew and not Jedi, thank the force. The whole thing was bizarrely short- Somebody had already filed her as 'Taking Permanent Voluntary Leave' which entitled her to the maximum benefits. _Who was that? Obi-Wan? Plo? Surely not Master Windu..?_

It only took a few minutes for a staff member to retrieve everything from her room, and she was handed a medium-sized box with a couple changes of clothes, her datapad and a spare blanket. She handed over her official Jedi ID and was handed a standard Government-Issue Driver's license and Voting card. _At least I still can drive. Don't think I'll get to vote if the war keeps up…_

"That's it ma'am. You're also given a ticket to the planet of your choice." The clerk handed her a voucher. She nodded, put everything in the box and took it, head bowed as she left.

The door slammed behind her like a guillotine. 

_So. That's it._

Finally, the tears came. 

They were quiet at first, streaming down gently in what felt like the elegant way crying was always portrayed in the Holos. In a similarly cinematic fashion, it began to rain, slowly soaking through her clothes and encouraging the coldness inside her. The elegance was soon lost, her nose began to run and her knees to shake, the rain turned to ugly plopping brown drops falling from the eaves far above, and everything felt cold. 

She plodded down the sidewalk, rain soaking through her boots and making her toes numb, looking for somewhere to curl up for a few hours until she had the strength to do all the stuff normal people had to do- finding an apartment, doing taxes, oh Kriff- there would have to be a job too- The feeling was overwhelming.

Then there were the familiar red neons and the scent of fried everything wafting from Dex's Diner welcoming her. There was a chance that Anakin of Obi-wan would turn up, but Dex had a backroom and a remarkable amount of discretion when it came to Jedi matters. She pushed the door open with her shoulder, still clutching the box to her chest like a child's security blanket. The bell chimed and the Besalisk waddled up to the counter to greet her.

"Hello 'Soka I'm glad to see yeh. Glad the trial came out how it did, it was all Poodoo any- ." He greeted her warmly but immediately caught sight of her face and the box.  
"Oh Hell. Things go sideways with the Order?"

Nod.

"Want the back room?"

Nod.

"Soup?"

Shrug.

"Tell anyone you're here?"

Shake.

"Mum's the word then. You can go back, go ahead and lock the door. I'll knock twice."

"Thanks." She managed, voice high and choked with tears. She stumbled back behind the kitchen and behind what looked like an anonymous closet door that hid a small room with Dex's collection of Vintage travel posters and the similarly vintage but comfortable couch. She set her box on the small table in front of the couch, pulled out the spare blanket, wrapped herself up tightly, turned her Comm off and settled in for a good cry. 

*

**Coruscant, Jedi Knight Temple, Holocron Vault, 22:00**

Plo Koon's mask allegedly filtered out all contaminants from the toxic oxygen surrounding him. But sometimes, the Force would play tricks on him and one of its favorites was to simulate his sense of smell. He was in the Holocron Vault of the Great Library, where he was taking his turn checking on them, a preventaive measure the council took after that incident with the bounty hunter. The scent of T'bacc wafted through his mask. He sighed deeply, Knowing exactly where it was coming from.

It was a long, long elevator ride from the Holocron Vault to the council room, but when he got there, he found the usual window pried open in the ante-chamber. Carefully, he slipped onto the narrow, rain-soaked ledge, edging around the building until he found the source of the olfactory annoyance.

Between the dramatic shape of his robe flapping in the wind and the way the smoke was illuminated by the red glow of the ship-warning lights atop the temple, Mace Windu greatly resembled a soldering volcano from behind. The Kel Dor picked his way over to where his friend was sitting on the ledge and sat down next to him, puddles of water immediately soaking through the seat of his robes.

"Why do you use those foul things? You could meditate." Plo sighed, pulling his hood up against the rain.

"They're for my health. And I was meditating." Mace still didn't turn to look at him, staring off into the city. Not at the senate, or any of the dramatic skyline to the east, but west, toward the last of the fading light through the storm.

"Your health? You know those are no good for you." Plo scolded him.

"It's an improvement over what I used to do." He shrugged, and Plo flinched as he remembered why the Korun master always wore long sleeves. There were too many questions about the scars. Plo Quietly shuddered, remembering Mace as a teen, practicing shatterpoints over and over and over without regard to the backlash until his bones cracked and skin ruptured. He was right that T'bacc was probably less dangerous than such mutilation, but still… The warning lights atop the temple slowly flashed on and off.

"There is no reason for you to engage in such self-flagellation. You did what you could, and apologized. Ahsoka's actions are her own now." He reached out to Mace and patted his shoulder. The human didn't acknowledge the gesture, but didn't shake him off either.

"You're right about Tano. It's my actions I'm upset with. I was completely wrong about her, and I essentially threw her to the wolves by letting her go to trial." He sat back a bit, and knocked the dog-end off the roll of T'bacc. "Certainty is essential in war, for hesitation leads to defeat, but I'm not certain I can trust my own judgment anymore." He spoke quietly, but the words felt like the collapse of a building. The clawed master caught himself peering down at the roof of the temple, trying to re-assure himself that the tower had withstood plenty of storms and that the swaying was purely his imagination.

"This is one mistake, everyone is wrong at some point." Plo tried to re-assure him. 

"I'm afraid that this is part of a larger pattern of poor judgment and lack of compassion. It was wrong of me to kill Boba's father Jango when I could have disarmed him, I should have done more investigation before accepting the clone army or position of the commander-general, and I've wrought nothing but destruction since the war began." He grew more tense and unguarded, and Plo could make out memories of the death of the Zilo beast, Commander Ponds and the Twi'lekks from Ryloth running through the Master's mind. Mace took another drag and exhaled slowly, the red light making the smoke look like another ominous flame from the smoldering mountain.

"If I were to accept that argument, which I don't, what will you do to remedy this? Sitting up here and poisoning yourself isn't going to do any good. Perhaps we could discuss this inside?" Plo pulled his robe closer as a particularly frigid gust of wind rushed through them, hoping that perhaps the bald master would come to his senses and come in from the storm.

"There is only so much introspection as I can manage, but I believe listening to someone pick apart my arguments, since I don't seem to be able to do that on my own anymore." He spoke distantly, slowly inhaling and exhaling again. 

"Did you have someone in mind?" Plo shivered as they were hit with another gust, soaking him to the bone. Windu didn't seem to notice.

"Not anyone specific- Perhaps Senator Amidala or Organa, they seem to be of sound judgment and contrary opinions, perhaps even the Duchess of Mandalore. They all have rather full schedules though. Then there's always the writings of the old masters to get back in touch with what it means to be a Jedi. But if I really wanted a different perspective…" There was a sudden flash of white as he grinned.

"Yes?" Plo asked, pulling his arms out of their sleeves to tuck them inside his tunic. The masked master glanced up at the sky. There would be lightning any moment now.

"I know you are very fond of the archives, as am I, but there's this marvelous invention called the holonet, and many places therein that are wholly unsupervised by any government or other power. They have open forums there where I could put up posts under a pseudonym and receive all kinds of criticism- some of which might even be helpful. It would be hard to get a perspective much farther from mine anywhere else." He crushed the roll of T'bacc into a puddle on the ledge.

Plo squinted at him through his goggles at him, confused by both the absurd idea and strange burst of levity. He sighed and shrugged, Mace had always been something of an enigma to him. Atleast he had put the disgusting thing down.

"Perhaps we can discuss the finer points of that idea inside, before I go into hypothermia." Plo grumbled, promising himself that someday he would get Wolffe to teach him how to ignore such cold weather.

Mace leaped up gracefully, ignoring both the wind and the sheer drop on the side of his perch, and offered Plo a hand in climbing back into the antechamber. Once inside, Plo quickly shut the window and followed his enigmatic friend into the elevator.

"Now," the Kel-Dor asked as the doors closed. "Explain to me what a 'post' is."

*

**Coruscant, 501st Barracks and Hangar, 22:00**

Thunder cracked and rolled, jerking nearly every member of the 501st into sharp wakefulness, some getting all the way through strapping their armor on before they realized they were on Coruscant and not getting shelled again.

Rex sighed heavily, put his blasters and belt back where they had been hanging beside his berth and flopped back into bed, doing his breathing exercises to calm down. He had nearly returned to unconsciousness before he was jerked back awake by a suspicious banging and scraping in the hangar. Groaning, he got back up and put his belt back on, fumbling in the dark for his helmet. He checked his ammo clip- By the sound of it, the General was making repairs to the Twilight again, but he couldn't be too careful. He Padded down the short hallway between the hastily constructed barracks- nobody had thought that the clones might return to Coruscant with their Generals for some reason, so they had been housed in the small civilian hangar adjoining the main one. He peered carefully into the mostly-deserted hangar, cold floodlights glaring down on its sole occupant as he trudged back from the tool closet.

It was indeed Skywalker, but something was wrong. For starters, Tano wasn't with him- _Don't panic. Maybe the trial's been delayed, or she's back at the temple. Or even up on the bridge._ Rex tried to calm himself but the other thing wrong with the situation was making his thoughts ring hollow. 

Skywalker was slamming things down, not setting them, and didn't seem to be repairing the ship as much as outright disassembling it. Both main thrusters had been pulled out, and he was working the hyperdrive loose now. Rex slowly walked closer, careful to make his steps loud and move into Skywalker's peripheral vision to avoid startling him. 

_Not good. He always start's 'repairing' things when he's mad at something. Took apart the whole guidance system on his starfighter after Zygerria._ He waved, but the general had most of his torso in the bowels of the Twilight and didn't notice him.

Fortunately, R2-D2 did, and beeped to alert Skywalker. The general looked out from under the ship, caught sight of Rex and glared furiously at him before returning to his former position. _I've got a bad feeling about this…_

"Sir?" he tried.

No response, save the clicking of a socket wrench.

"Sir? Where is Commander Tano?"

The clicking stopped and he heard a loud and exasperated sigh from the inside of the ship.

"I don't know Rex. Let me work." The clicking resumed. The pit that had been forming in Rex's stomach gave a nasty twinge.

"You don't know as in she's on assignment again, or as in you don't know when they're going to release her? I know she didn't do it but-"

"I DON'T KNOW AS IN SHE LEFT THE ORDER. I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS AND I DON'T GIVE A DAMN." Skywalker shouted in a tone that meant he gave every damn in the galaxy. Rex froze up, stunned as questions wrestled for his attention. _She left? Was she acquitted? You could leave the order? Why would she do that? Where would she go? Where WAS she?_

"Do you think she's with Senator Amidala?" Rex pressed on. Yelling.He's really angry this time. Grumbling and whining is workable, but the yelling is bad. Just keep to logistics and he'll have to move on…

"She damn better not be." he growled. "She left me, she has no right to see her…" _Oh great, it's spread to The Senator. There' no telling when the mood will end when he's worked up about her._

"Where do you think then?" Rex asked after a moment. 

Skywalker ducked his head out from under the Twilight's hatch and snarled at Rex, gesturing at him with the wrench . "I told you, I don't care. She's made her choice, now she has to live with it. Now, shut up and let me work!" _Time to back off. I can see if we can still raise her comm, or we can deploy a search party._ He stared at the general, slowly backing up. There was something wrong with him, but Rex couldn't quite say what. Something to do with the way his face twisted, the fire in his eyes.

Rex put his hands up and kept backing away "Yessir. I just want to make sure she's safe. She's one of us, I have a responsibility-" he. _Tonight's different. He's crossed some kind of line and I can't talk him back._

"SHE'S NOT ONE OF US REX! NOT ANYMORE! SHE LEFT THE ORDER, SHE LEFT THE ARMY! SHE ABANDONED ME, SHE ABANDONED US ALL!" Anakin suddenly charged out from under the ship, wrench gripped in his gloved hand. He stalked closer to Rex, slowly raising it above his head. "Now, I order you to shut up and leave me alone.'" He said, his voice low and menacing. Rex finally realized what was wrong with him. _Skywalker's eyes are supposed to be blue._

"Sir! Sir, please, calm down!"

"NO!" Anakin shouted, and threw the wrench full-force at Rex's head. He barely dodged it, feeling adrenaline crackling through his body, pit in his stomach rising to constrict his throat nearly making him gag. _What the hell? He's never thrown anything before or-_

Rex was interrupted by a sharp cry behind him, and he turned to see Tup lying on the floor, bloody wrench beside him. He and some of the other men must have come out to investigate the racket, helmets off and most still in their sleep wear like Tup. He bolted for his brother, getting there almost as soon as Fives and Kix. He was still alive, thank the Force, but bleeding heavily from the side of his head and whimpering in pain. Fives carefully pulled him into a sitting position as Kix began to check him out.

"Can you follow my fingers?" Rex heard as he turned back to face Skywalker, staring in terror, eyes wide and back to their correct hue. The clones stared back up at him, expressions ranging from terror to wrath. Rex felt himself begin to shake, tremors beginning in his chest and radiating out towards his hands, face and neck burning. 

_No, it, it was an accident. He didn't meant to hit Tup. He meant to hit me. He meant to… hit… me._

Shades of Umbara and Krell flashed through his mind. The ugly yellow-red glow in their eyes, the glow of Krell's lightsaber held at his throat.

_No. No I don't care how mad he is, nobody hurts me or my men. Nobody. Never again._

" 'Looks like it just grazed him, maybe bruised the bone a little bit, but nothing looks broken." Kix concluded, helping Tup to his feet. "Let's go to the infirmary, get you stitched up." Tup stumbled between Kix and Fives, trying to put them between Skywalker and himself. A good number of the other soldiers followed after them, walking backwards to face the general. Rex slowly stood up and at attention to Skywalker, arms at his sides and fists clenched, visibly twitching.

"As per your order, I will now shut up and leave you alone so I may start a search party for Ahsoka." He stepped closer to Anakin, rage overcoming his survival instincts. "You may not give a damn where she is, but I sure as hell do," he growled in Skywalker's face and jabbed his finger into his chest, "- and leave my men alone." he turned from the General and shouted at that the assembled soldiers.

"Jesse! Take a team to the Senate and check around with Senator Amidala. Terk! I want you to see if you can raise her comm, though I doubt it. The rest of you- break into patrols and start canvassing the area between the Temple, Senate and Grand Circle spaceport! Call in the local battalion and the Wolfpack if you have to- they found her before, they can do it again! Fall out!' He barked, and after a moments shuffling, they obeyed, slower than he'd like, still glancing behind him.

Rex looked over his shoulder at Skywalker. He looked like he was about to protest, but glanced down at the bloody wrench and skulked back to the twilight. Rex waited another moment for his heart to slow down from its staccato, then broke into a jog to join the rest of the company.

The last noise he heard was the sad beeping of Artoo as his master re-joined him.

*  
**Coruscant, Senator Amidala's Apartment, 01:00**

Darkness. Terrible, howling darkness wrapped around her, around her throat, cutting her screams off. It burned like ice and twisted un an unnatural fashion. It reared up and formed a sharp point and plunging into her abdomen like a knife-

"Senator Amidala! Senator Amidala! Wake up!" a familiar stilted voice called to her and she felt a pair of cold mechanical hands on her arm. Padme snapped to wakefulness, bolting up and gasping for breath, the pain in her abdomen still lingering.

"Oh it was horrible, you were screaming and unable to breathe- I didn't know what to do!" Threepio waved his stiff arms in worry. 

"It was just a nightmare. I think. You did the right thing by waking me up. I- I think I need some water." Padme felt herself shaking. _I think that was a nightmare… it was so surreal, and yet, real._

"At once, mistress!" Threepio turned and stiffly marched off, relieved to have a task that could help. She stood up, beads of her nightgown rattling over the sound of midnight traffic. The pain in her belly lingered. _Pain, nightmares. Ugh, I've been like this all month. Maybe I should see a doctor._ She shook her head and followed the golden droid out to the adjoining kitchen where he was awkwardly attempting to fill a glass without soaking his own hands. She took it from him and drank deeply. 

The late night traffic of Curoscant bustled around the grand open windows of her apartment bedroom. The city never slept, but at this hour it could be considered to be taking a catnap. Only a couple dozen speeders were backed up at the intersections, and the sirens were much farther in the distance. Even half the neons were turned off. For a few moments she listened to the hum and industrial chatter of the city, pining for the late-night birds and insects of Naboo.

"Are you feeling better now?" The droid hovered over her. Threepio was more than slightly useless in an emergency, but his heart was in the right place. Or his hard drive. 

"Yes, thank you. I'm fine now." She reassured him.

"Should I call a doctor?" He pursued. She considered it for a moment.

"Not right now, but if you could make an appointment for tomorrow."

"Yes Senator!" He chirped, toddling off

"Senator Amidala?" Dorme appeared out of the main room like a shadow. "Sergeant Jesse from the 501st is outside with several men. He says it's urgent." She spoke softly. Padme hurriedly put down the glass and straightened up her nightgown as Dorme found a suitable robe to maintain appearances. After a minute she was decent and opened the door. Outside was the soldier, helmet off, and half a dozen other clones.

"I'm sorry to disturb you Ma'am, but is Comman-er, is Ahsoka here?" he asked immediately, not waiting to be asked. _Something's wrong._ She knew.

"No. Why? What's happened?"

"According to the General, she's left the Order and nobody knows where she is." He explained. "Are you sure she's not here, maybe with senator Chuchi?" His tattooed brow furrowed.

"Ahsoka left the order?" Padme gasped. "I mean, she isn't here, but I'll call around, but I think anyone else she knows in the senate would have called me if she had gone to them. What about Anakin? He must be worried sick about her!"

There was a very pronounced silence and much shuffling of feet from the clones.

"What did he do?"

"Er, I think he's a little… upset about her leaving." Jesse attempted to be diplomatic. _He must have done something serious._

"I see. Will you tell me if you do find her?"

"Of course Ma'am." Jesse nodded, echoed by the clones behind him. They turned to leave and Padme Pulled out her personal comm, dialing immediately for Anakin. 

There was no ringtone. He's got it turned off. _Ani, what's happening?_

*

**Coruscant, Dex's Diner, 03:30**

After what felt like hours and hours of crying Ahsoka finally ran out of tears and just sat, listening to the distant noises of diners in the front of the building. There was a long and utterly empty internal silence in which Ahsoka was certain she would never feel any emotion, let alone happiness, ever again. She was finally interrupted from her angst by the sound of an oddly familiar voice making a racket in the front of the diner and Dex's coded knock.

She opened the door and found him standing holding a bowl of Nuna-and-Rice soup and cautiously peering over his shoulder.

"In order of 'portance, here's some soup of the day. It'll do you good." She took the bowl, and the hot, salty scent wafted into her face, and her stomach actually growled with hunger.

"Also, there's an attractive blond for you." Dex Jerked his thumb back down the hall.

She peeked out from behind the cook at the exact moment as he turned into the hall and he bolted for her like lightning. Dex barely got out of the way before he skidded to a halt in front of her, grabbing her arms roughly and looking her up and down, the way Kix checked for injuries.

"Sir! Are you all right? Where have you been? Your comm was off! We've been looking for you all night!" He asked her at a rapid-fire pace.

"I'm okay. I was here. I didn't know where else to go. I just- wait, we?"

"The whole 501st is out looking for you." He explained. "The general said something about you leaving the Order , no idea where you were… I- I'm sorry sir. I was worried. But you're okay now and…" he slowed down as he looked up from her and saw the box of her belongings on the table.

"Oh no."

Nod. 

There was a few moments of uncomfortable silence between the three of them, Dex still pressed awkwardly against the wall of the narrow hallway.

"You should probably call everyone and tell them I'm okay." Ahsoka prompted, trying to break up the crowded hallway.

"All right Sir- Dammit!" he flinched as he reflexively addressed her like he had since the day they met.

"It's okay." Ahsoka said softly and put a hand on his shoulder. She looked up and saw Dex studying them with great interest. She didn't quite recognize the expression but it was soft and he seemed unlikely to throw Rex out on his ear- the cook was one of maybe five people in the galaxy capable of doing so- his usual practice for strange men shouting in the diner.

"I'll get another bowl then leave you two alone, eh?" he smirked at them.

"Er, thanks." Rex looked up at him, trying to hide his nervous edge. He'd been tense around Besaliks ever since he got back from Umbara. "Sorry about the ruckus."

"Eh, it's been a rough day for you." Dex shrugged and waded his way back to the kitchen.

"I'll put out an all-clear sir- dammit." Rex struggled with her title again, But it made her smile. She sat back down on the couch and even though her hands were trembling, got a few spoonfuls of the hot soup into her. It warmed her all the way down into her stomach and the center of her belly where she was sure the soul was stored. She could hear Rex's muffled voice in the hall.

"No, she was at that diner- the one with all the fried stuff." "Yeah, not injured, just upset." "I.. I don't know. I don't think she wants to talk." The other, unintelligible half of the conversation sounded like Fives. She ate slowly, but was still halfway through the bowl before Rex finished ending the alert, and Dex came in with a second bowl for Rex.

"I'm closing up for now. Be upstairs if you need me." The cook patted her shoulder. Rex turned from the hall and nodded at Dex as they traded places.

"Ugh. Jesse thought calling in the 212th was a good Idea, and then they called the 44th, and they called… You get the idea. Commander Fox is profoundly sorry for chasing you like that, If it's worth anything." Ahsoka felt a chuckle bubble up. It would be charming if she wasn't so embarrassed. Rex sat down next to her. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to figure out what to say.

"What's this?" he eventually gave up and pointed at the soup. For a clone, Rex had tried a wide variety of foods- she, Anakin and even Obi-wan had insisted he try everything they had- but still had a very limited palate. He'd gotten cautious after the seventh bug-related incident with Skywalker.

"It's Nuna-and-Rice soup. It's good." She managed. They ate, both feeling starved, and Rex must have approved because they finished at the same time, despite her head start. They sat in silence for a while, dreading the conversation that would have to come next.

"Is Anakin okay?" She asked, voice still soft, gazing down at the empty bowl.

"…No sir, I don't think so. He might be again in the morning, but he threw a wrench at Tup-" He stopped suddenly, hand over his mouth.

"He did WHAT?" She turned on Rex, eyes wide and furious. 

"It's my fault. I was botherin' him with where you were and he must have been more upset than I thought but Kix says it was only a scrape and bruised the bone a little-"

"He HIT Tup?" She asked, growing more livid and incredulous.

"He… He's in shock. We all are. We're not mad, just… All right, the General is mad, but he'll calm down eventually." he tried to reassure her. Ahsoka put her hands in her face and breathed deeply but shakily, trying to center herself. Rex looked down at her and tentatively reached out, nearly retreating a few times and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, her skin cool against his fingers. She took his hand in hers, giving him a gentle squeeze, face still buried in her other hand

"Sir, er, Ahsoka..? " She glanced up at him through her fingers.

"Why did you leave?" He asked quietly. Ahsoka closed her eyes and shook her head, but didn't let go. Ahsoka sighed and looked at him. 

"I'll explain but… If you're okay with it, can I lie down first?" Ahsoka asked. 

Without asking Rex slid to the other end of the couch, grabbed one of the ratty cushions and offered her his lap, the action second nature. Of course. He lets Jesse and Kix use him as a pillow all the time. She lay down on her side, back to him. She could feel his breathing , slow and steady as always. His hand curled around her head, resting between her montrals and she felt warmer for it. _Or maybe it's the heat from his hands._

After a moment, she took a deep breath and explained.

"I was actually convicted. You know why I wasn't sentenced? Because Anakin found out it was Bariss. She confessed to everything. I… I still don't know how I feel. Angry, I guess, and like she's… died or something. I lost one of my best friends. At first I thought it was just her, she'd gone mad, an isolated incident, but then…  
Those prison codes are hard to get, they're not left lying around and she's not that great a slicer. And the nano-bots are hard to come by, and I began to wonder- maybe somebody kind of, helped her along? Maybe they left the codes where she could find them, the same with the nano bots and introduced her to that woman… It felt like the whole thing had been… orchestrated.

And I realized that Tarkin hadn't followed protocol during the interrogations- He's a jerk, but a stickler for rules. And it felt like Palpatine was rushing the trial and… I don't know if it was the if they were in on it, or if there's someone else pulling the strings, but everything feels like a farce." Ashoka sighed, too tired to work through this.

"So this is a larger conspiracy." he asked, watching the ceiling fan, buried in thought. Ahsoka reached into the force, and felt that sticky, nauseating fog of darkness still around her, only somewhat abated by Rex's bright burning presence, a bright blue star in an ominous nebula.

" I've been having these small visions since this mess began. Even now, I'm picking up these scattered signals. But I think that's what the force is telling me. Visions are tricky like that. But I'm sensing that there's darkness surrounding me, and I think I need to get away from here, both emotionally and physically. I'm all foggy and I need to clear my head. I don't want to be paranoid, but if there is a conspiracy against me, I don't want to drag anyone into it. not the temple, not Anakin, not Padme… and especially not you." She finished.

Rex breathed slowly and said nothing. This, Ahsoka knew, was not necessarily a bad thing. He was always judicious with his words. All the same, the longer his silence went on, the more the soup threatened to reverse course.

"I understand." He said softly. "And thank you."

"I'm sorry Rex." She opened her eyes and looked up see him gazing back down at her, brow furrowed in worry.

"I… I don't want to leave you." She reached up and touched his cheek, stubble rough against her fingers. "You're the only bright thing I have now. But I'm worried that if I stay you'll get wrapped up in this too and I couldn't bear it if something were to happen…" She trailed off, not wanting to say the words and a little surprised. _I haven't been a Jedi for less than one night and I'm creating attachments like this? It's not so bad though…_

"Can you stay in touch? The Men will worry about you." He disguised his meaning, but not well. The Men was his euphemism for I when he had to admit he needed help. As in, The Men need more rations, I don't think The Men will agree with that plan, The Men need to rest, etc. He took her hand and pressed it closer to his cheek, stubble scraping against her skin.

"Of course. I wouldn’t want to be all alone." She smiled and stroked at his cheek, and he closed his eyes. It's amazing, I don't think I've ever seen him be this open before. He must have been really frightened. _I didn't realize he… had feelings for me? maybe?_

"I wouldn't say you're all alone sir." He opened his warm golden eyes and gave her a lop-sided smile. "Senator Amidala's a good friend, yeh? She'll want to know and give you a hand. " 

Ahsoka blinked and sat up, shaking her head vigorously.

"I must be tired, I forgot all about her! And senator Chuchi and Bail, They're probably worried sick too." She stood up from the couch, pulled her robe out of the box and pulled it on.

Rex Yawned and followed her. " 'Specially since I told Jesse to take a patrol up to the senate to look for you. Thought that was the first place you'd go." He jumped when she suddenly turned on him again.

"You did WHAT?" Ahsoka stared at him-bug eyed then rolled her eyes into the next dimension. "Oh great, it's probably a mess up there. C'mon, let's go before they bring Jar Jar into it." She groaned, picking up the dishes and leaving the room. Rex picked up the box and followed her, smiling.

*

**Next: Chapter Two- In Which There Are First Kisses And The Coffee Pot Is The Source Of Much Political Intrigue**


	2. Chapter 2: In Which There Are First Kisses and The Coffee Machine is Surrounded by Political Intrigue.

**Chapter 2: In which there are first Kisses and the Coffee Machine is surrounded by political intrigue.**

*

**Coruscant, Executive Assistant's Breakroom, 04:47:**

A small Pantoran woman stood carefully on a coffee canister in order to reach the elaborate brewing machine, wobbling slightly in her wedge boots. Flora Poirati was of the opinion that fetching coffee, tea and Hot cocoa at 5AM when there were messages and appointments she should be arranging was silly and somewhat beneath her, but Senator Chuchi had gotten a call from Senator Organa about some sort of emergency and now the whole lot of the Anti-war Alliance wanted hot drinks for the cold and rainy morning.  
However, if I am to do this, then I ought to do it well. She reasoned, Carefully waving to steamed milk to create a leaf pattern in the foam of Senator Organa's coffee, then arranging everything with symmetrical precision on the tray, napkins intricately folded and with a small vase of flowers, pinched from the hanging pots outside, placed in the middle, and very, very carefully stepped down from the canister.

Strictly speaking, she wasn't allowed to be in here- this room was only cleared for the Chancellor's personal assistants, but this room had the elaborate coffee machine and the best selection of teas, so she frequently snuck in to get the finest for her superior. There wasn't that much risk to her activities these days- being a hair over a meter and a half, overweight and nearing middle age made her practically invisible, and those that did notice her had been seeing her for years and assumed she belonged up here by now.  
"Hello Miss Poirati." yawned Commander Fox, as he nearly stumbled into the room. _Case in point._

Her little larcenies had begun a years before the war, and as far as the clone knew, this was practically her break room. Technically, he wasn't allowed in here either, but she made sure he was never spotted. It's not really an infraction, and certainly not one worth the trouble he'd be in, poor thing. He'd been taciturn and nervous at first, but a desperate need for coffee and Flora's willingness to provide it had built the basis for a rather close rapport. _Or perhaps he is simply glad to talk to someone who wasn't barking orders or insisting he isn't human, only property. Those little monsters._

Flora turned to face him and found him slumped at the table, helmet off and looking like more hell than he usually did- all stubble and dark circles under his eyes and the glassy look of someone who is in pain from lack of sleep. When she had first met him, Fox was the picture of clone uniformity- close-cropped hair, clean shaven and a straight-on thousand-yard-stare. Lately though, he'd been relying more and more on his helmet to keep up appearances. It had been a bad week for him, with the loss of several of his men and the madness surrounding the accused Jedi.

"Did you have a long night?"

"Don't tell me it's morning already…" he groaned.

"Alas, it is so."

"Dammit. I'm not ready to deal with him." Of all the clones that served directly under Palpatine, the unfortunate Commander Fox seemed to have it the worst, as he was frequently stationed to guard the Chancellor. Palpatine never actually said anything outright rude to the staff, but Flora always felt worse after speaking to him, even in brief exchanges. Commander Fox would nearly be a nervous wreck by the end of the week, stress training unable to stand up to the ravages of the Chancellor's sharp silver tongue. Hence, she took a secret delight from poaching from his coffee supply.

"We were up all night running after that Jedi again- 'pparently it was a different one that killed Puck and Motti and the others, but the first 'un was so wrecked over it she left the Order and I thought she might've gone to… Nah, Jedi don't off themselves. Captain Rex found 'er though." Flora could tell how tired Fox was by the number of contractions in any given statement and he was exhausted by now. _At five contractions, I will call the hospital._

"I'm glad she is well." She stood back up on the canister and began to make a drink of her own invention that the commander enjoyed. It was full of chocolate and cinnamon and enough coffee to kill a small child. After a moment, she placed the mug in front of him and he sat up, blearily taking a sip.

"Yer a lifesaver, Flora." He smiled weakly as the caffeine began to hit his system. It probably isn't healthy for him to live on coffee and stress alone, but it's better than being court-martialed by one of the admirals for being late or sleeping on the job. He drank it slowly, savoring the taste.

"You have nowhere to be this morning?" She sat down opposite him.

"Nah, thank goodness. His Excellency has got some meetin' or something going on for the next hour. I can stay a bit." He began to perk up a bit and smiled weakly at her.

"That is most interesting."

"I didn't tell you that though." He pointed at her. She put a finger to her lips and smiled at him. 

"Regrettably, I cannot share your company this morning, as the anti-war alliance has a meeting as well, to which I must deliver this tray. But, you didn't hear anything from me either." She leaned over and whispered conspiratorially in his ear.

"It's our little secret." Fox smirked back and offered her a gloved pinky. 

"Our little secret." She took it and gave him a light squeeze. She straightened up and patted him on the shoulder. "Be well, my friend. No more midnight chases."

"None scheduled." he took another drink of the sugary concoction. She laughed quietly as she picked up the tray and peeked out into the hall.

After discerning that the hallway was empty, she stepped out, back straight and the somewhat hassled attitude of someone who was clearly on important business and not to be disturbed. As she passed the Chancellor's office though, the door was half-open, probably for air circulation, and she could make out the sound of hushed voices. She quietly made her way over to one of the windows across the hall, slightly off to the side of the door, put down the tray and made a show of checking her datapad. The angled nature of Palpatine's viewing window and the hall made for a sort of parabolic effect and between that and the early-morning quiet, she could make out the conversation within.

"- I believe that will take care of the loose end on Christophsis. Also, deploy an agent to Scippio. I have reason to believe that the banks are engaging in activities that may be used to my advantage." The Chancellor was instructing someone, but his voice was off- croaky, instead of its usual buttery smoothness. _Loose end? Spying on Scippio? That hardly sounds legal…_

"Yes, My Lord." replied Mas Amedda. _Your WHAT now? Lord? That's certainly an odd thing to call-_

"Your tea is getting cold." A deep and gentle voice spoke inches from her ear. Flora nearly leaped out of her skin as she turned to face Captain Tyhus Briggan, a favorite of the Army's high command. The athletic Human male was in his early sixties, with graying dark brown hair, a face like someone's loving grandfather and the eerie demeanor of an over-eager hunting dog. It was in the eyes. He never broke eye contact and didn't blink enough.

"Oh! You startled me, sir. I was just checking for the location of Senator Chuchi- she moved to some early meeting and I couldn't find the room." She didn't need to fake being flustered by the man stooped too far into her personal space. 

"May I help?" He offered, reaching for the datapad.

"N-no sir! I just found it as you came up. Thank you, though." She waved her hand between them.

"Ah. Carry on then." He stood back up to his full two meters and turned towards the chancellor's office. Flora picked up the tray again and trotted back to the safety of the Senator's office, pondering what she had heard. It certainly sounded suspicious, but the most bothersome thing to her was the way Palpatine's voice croaked and cracked, as though he were terribly ill. But the tea was getting cold, and there were other ways to follow this mystery…

*

**Coruscant, Chancellor Palpatine's Office, 05:15**

Tythus watched the pantoran walk away a little too fast before he turned, inhaled deeply and strode up to the Chancellor's office, waiting to be admitted. Inside, he could see Mas Amedda taking notes, and the newly-promoted Colonel Tarkin, military expert and social mountaineer. The Chancellor's chair slowly rotated so that the politician could face him. He smiled warmly in the not-entirely-sincere way Briggan was used to using on others. It sent a chill up his spine. The Chancellor was an utter master of it. 

"Sir!" He saluted to the assembled company.

"Come in, come in" Palpatine waved, not used to military formality. Briggan entered and the doors whooshed behind him.

"Very interesting sir. I assume you know about the Pantoran?"

"Yes, Senator Chuchi's assistant. I'm trying to determine if there is an intrigue going on or if she is simply nosy. Since nothing juicy has reached the Senator's ear yet, I'm inclined to think it's the latter." Palpatine looked rather pleased with himself.

"Very clever sir." Briggan nodded.

"Oh, hardly. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book. Now, to the matter at hand." he waved and Mas Amedda pressed buttons on the control panel that put up the privacy shades and turned the sound dampeners on. 

"Colonel Tarkin speaks very highly of you, which is why we have decided to have you handle a rather… delicate matter." The Chancellor sort-of explained. "If you would brief this gentleman, Amedda."

"The Republic has many interests all over the galaxy, some of which require a certain secrecy for security reasons. Recently, one of these interests has gone rogue and is putting the public in danger." The Chagrain pulled up a hologram display of the Outer-Rim planet of Ord Mandell, as well as some sort of industrial facility and a too-innocuous-looking corporate logo. "Ancestry Inc." it was called.

"Ancestry Inc. is, or rather, was a Republic program to research ancient cultures and collect any organic remains to determine more of the Galaxy's history. Unfortunately, they decided to take research into their own hands and stole Kaminoan cloning technology and… Have you ever heard of the Anzat?" 

"They're a legendary race of assassins that went extinct during the Great Sith Wars. Am I correct in guessing that they have found some organic remains and have been attempting to re-create the legend?" The Chagrain arched a fatty brow at him in surprise. Briggan arched a wooly eyebrow at the politician in response.

"They were rather more successful than that, I'm afraid. We found out about their experiments because nobody was filing the monthly reports. When our investigators arrived, well…" The hologram shifted to a scene of an utterly destroyed lab littered with corpses. All of them, Briggan noted, had nosebleeds.

"According to their records, they found well-preserved Anzat DNA and tried to clone it, filling in the gaps with clone trooper DNA, and added a couple copies of the growth acceleration genes. They managed to make a living, breathing half-anzat, half-trooper that hit adulthood at age four-and-a-half, and promptly killed them all."

"Is it sapient?"

Mas Amedda rotated the hologram to show Briggan the opposite wall of the lab where a message was written in blood- most likely that of the creature's "Parents".

_Vivat Monstrum._

"It knows High Galactic? Impressive." Briggan observed.

"Experiment number 41266 has had quite the education- Languages, Advanced Mathematics, History and Civics, piloting, weapons and martial arts training… Though that's not the worst of it." Amedda said and Palpatine sighed heavily.

"Decades ago, there was a scientist named Jenna Zan Arbor who conducted illegal experiments on force-users, trying to determine how to artificially give force abilities to non-force-using beings. Records show they got a hold of her notes ." Tarkin butted in, clearly proud of his ability to use a classified information database.

" We're not certain, but with how the lab was torn apart- this creature might have acquired abilities with the force as well." Plapatine said.

"If I may, if this creature has use of the Force, wouldn't this be a matter for the Jedi to deal with?"

"They are all deployed to the war. There are literally none to spare capable of hunting 41266 down." Tarkin interrupted again. "What we have here, is a very intelligent, very powerful and very dangerous being that needs to be hunted down immediately. Prior to the war, you were a top-rated tracker when it came to hunting down and capturing serial killers and dangerous beasts, which is why I believe you are the man for this job."

Briggan snapped to attention. "Thank you sir. I shall do my best." 

"You understand the need for secrecy though?" asked Palpatine, looking worried.

"Naturally, sir. It is best if 41266 doesn't know he's being pursued, and we wouldn't want to cause a public panic." He agreed. Palpatine beamed.

"Splendid! I'll leave the allocation of resources to you and Colonel Tarkin then. Remember, this is of the highest priority, and very, very classified."

"Yes, your Excellency."

*

**Coruscant, Senator Chuchi's Office, 05:30**

"There you are! You said you'd be here an hour ago!" Jesse griped, a relived smile on his face as Rex and Ahsoka appeared at the top of the stairs. 

"It was a long debriefing." Rex reached out to his brother, each doing the mid-arm-grab version of a handshake. Jesse chuckled.

"I'll explain when we get inside." Ahsoka said as she patted him on the shoulder, and all three walked though the large sliding doors to the assembled senators and clones.

"Ahsoka! I was so worried about you!" Padme turned to her and hugged her tightly. Ahsoka returned it just as tightly. _There's something… off about her. Her signature in the force is different. Or maybe She's just tired. We're all tired._ She looked around the room- Bail Organa was coming was for a hug as well, and Mon Mothma and Riyo Chuchi, as well as- 

"Meesa so glad to be seein' ya!" Jar-Jar practically tackled all three of them , crushing Ahsoka between Rex and Padme.

"Hullo Jar-Jar." She grunted, trying to free herself. Ahsoka could feel Rex's glare though his helmet.

" When you called from the diner, you said you had some information to share?" Bail gently interrupted, and Jar-Jar let go.

"It's less information than… The Force is telling me things that I don't understand. The last time I had visions like this, Senator Amidala was able to identify the source. I was hoping if we put our heads together, we might be able to come up with something. I'm sorry, I'm not a jedi anymore and don't have the authority to call meetings…"

"It's all right dear, you're a good friend and have more insight to these things than we ever will." Mon Mothma smiled at her, waving to indicate that she should sit. 

Ahsoka took a seat on the couch next to Padme as the first pale pink light of dawn began to creep in through the window. She felt more than heard Rex step up into a guarding position behind her. There was slight clatter, and Senator Chuchi's assistant appeared with a tray full of hot coffee. The drinks were eagerly picked up- apparently everyone else had had the same shoddy night's sleep she did. She looked up to Rex and found the Assistant offering him and the other clones a tray of what smelled like hot cocoa and she smiled, remembering Rex's sweet tooth.

"So what do you feel?" Padme asked, gently placing her hand on Ahsoka's shoulder.

"It feels like…" The Togruta closed her eyes. "The whole last week has been orchestrated. Someone's pulling strings- I can feel darkness closing in around me, like a net and… there's no way Bariss could have found the prison codes on her own, Tarkin's a stickler for rules, but it didn't feel like he was following procedure, and the trial felt… like it was made of cardboard. Just a front. I keep hearing this awful voice, croaking and grating, and I see the city's skyline… but it doesn't make sense." She opened her eyes to see everyone staring at her in wide-eyed realization.

"Oh. Guess I was right." Ahsoka grimaced.

"You've helped us so much, so we all pitched in on the investigation." Padme explained "Senator Mothma found that there's been literally hundreds of unreported security leaks from around the Senate and Army, even the Council."

"The leaks all have the same style- a signature, if you will." Mothma explained. "The only place that has acess to all of those systems is the Chancellor's Office. Someone may have leaked Bariss the information from there."

"I was looking into the arrest procedures," said Bail, "And you're right about Tarkin- he shouldn't have even been assigned to your case, he's supposed to be managing troops on the outer rim. The second he was placed in command, he suspended the forensic investigation of the prison and the deaths of the clones, claiming that they'd already arrested the perpetrator- but you weren't arrested for another two days!"

"The trial itself had several inconsistencies- there's precedent for the Chancellor to act as judge, but it's flimsy and normally only done in cases of War Crimes, not Treason. Which was a strange charge to give you in the first place." Padme added.

"Flora? You look pale. Is something wrong?" Chuchi asked.

"What Miss Tano said about the voice… I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I was passing the Chancellor's Office and I heard a strange voice, croaking and wheezing- I peeked in, but all I could see was the back of his chair and the city's skyline." Flora explained nervously.

The assembled party sat in silence for a few moments, glancing between each other, afraid to say the thought that was on their minds.

"I'm thinkin'…" Jar-Jar finally broke the silence. "Wesa can no longer be trustin' the Chancellor."

All the senators nodded gravely.

"With all due respect," Rex spoke slowly, staring the politicians down.. "If I'm understanding this correctly, are you accusing the chancellor of treason?" There was a nervous shuffling of shinies That made up Jesse's search party behind him and Jesse chewed his lip, glancing off to the side.

"Not necessarily." Bail put his hands up defensively. "It might not be Palpatine himself, but someone in his office, perhaps someone who is a zealot for his vision of the Republic, and is willing to do anything they think will help. In that case, it's his judgment and office I don't trust." 

Rex relaxed slightly from his bristling and the clones behind him stood a bit straighter.

"In any case, we need to be very careful what reaches his ears, and it might be wise to make a fallout plan." Padme proposed.

"Fallout plan?" Rex asked, cocking his head at her. Senator Amidala was kind, and not one to start trouble- _well not really, she got herself into all kinds of trouble but didn't drag others into it_ \- but this was edging into dangerous territory.

"In case his regime fails for some reason- this potential zealot causes him too much trouble, a vote of no-confidence, and if Flora heard right and his voice is going south, so might his overall health. It's a very stressful position." The phrase 'If he's arrested for treason' went unspoken.

"If something happens to his administration, the senate would be in chaos and the war effort would be dealt a severe blow if not lost- nobody wants to stay with a government with no clear leader." She was dancing on the edge of sedition again, but Rex had to agree. There should always be a plan B.

"I'd propose an alliance." said Mon Mothma. "If something happens, the senate will need to show a sense of order, so we need to present a unified front and a contingency plan. Historically, if the Chancellor's Reign ends unexpectedly, a random senator who is not running for office is appointed as a temporary ruler until emergency elections are finished. It has worked in the past, but these are strange times, and I'd worry about a power grab without an alliance demanding to stick to the rules."

"What do you think, Captain?" Padme looked up and Rex startled slightly in surprise. "If something happens, we'll need the army to hold the line. Do you think your men could handle this kind of changeover?"

Rex opened and closed his mouth a few times, aware of Jesse and the shinies staring holes into his back. 

"Y'know, it's kind of funny, but I've never thought about what would happen if Palpatine wasn't Chancellor anymore- I mean, he's been that my whole life." There was an awkward glance around the room, and Rex caught Jar-Jar counting on his fingers. "But what we're fightin' for is the system, and if that's what the system says is supposed to happen, we'll stick by it." he decided.

"Yeh, " agreed Jesse. "I mean, I've got the cog tattooed on my face, not His Excellency." There was a murmur of laughter among the clones, interrupted by the beeping of all their comm units. They all suddenly went silent, staring at the captain, waiting for him to answer. He raised his arm and tried not to wince as he saw the General's name.

"Yessir." he answered, standing at attention. He realized he needn't though, when the pre-recorded message played.

"Everyone return to base. We've been deployed." Anakin's sullen voice grunted and the message ended.

"Is everything all right with General Skywalker?" Bail asked. There was a pointed studying of shoes and investigation of the ceiling. Rex felt the laser-like glare of Senator Amidala on him.

"There was… an accident. That he caused. That resulted in an injury. He'll be okay though." It was his turn to dance around the truth.

"I see. Would you mind asking him to call me when it's convenient? I have a few matters to discuss with him." Padme smiled warmly at him, but he flinched at the ice in her eyes. No wonder they got along so well.

"Y-Yes Ma'am."

"You should head back, I'll see you out." Ahsoka said. She got up and took his hand, the rest of the clones following them on instinct. Once out in the hall, she pulled Rex aside. Jesse raised an eyebrow at them and smirked knowingly.

"We'll meet you back at base." he nodded, ushering the rest of the troop back down the stairs. Rex glared after him before looking back down at Ahsoka.

"I guess this is goodbye." he sighed. She took his hands in hers and rubbed his gloved knuckles with her thumbs.

"I promise I'll call, but you have to do it too. And it's not goodbye. It's more of a… see you later." She smiled up at him and was rewarded with a lopsided smile of his own. Her expression changed, as though she was considering something, then suddenly stood on her toes and lightly kissed his cheek. He tensed up for a second but… it felt nice. Warm, and slightly tingly across his skin. She slowly lowered herself, searching his eyes and he felt himself blush and grin slightly.

"For luck. And I wanted to do that before… well, before too long."

"I had no idea sir." he chuckled. She pretended to be offended but reached up again and hugged him over his shoulders and he felt no qualms in reciprocating, gently pressing his lips to her cheek, surprised again by how cool she was to the touch. She squirmed happily in response.

"Be safe Rex. May the Force be with you." she whispered into his ear.

"May the Force be with you, Sir." he replied. She let go of him, blushing a furious shade of orange and waved before turning back to the room of assembled senators. He watched her go, silhouetted by the white morning light. 

"See you later then."

*

**Orbit of Cestus Ord, The Rig, 09:26**

The Rig was a abandoned-then-repopulated Mining Vessel, and a popular resting place for the galaxy's more unsavory characters. All kinds turned up here- washed-up Trandoshan bounty hunters, escaped separatist command, various fringers and even a disgraced Hutt once. Still it was somewhat unusual to see a handsome blond human-ish being in his early twenties meander in stark naked.

"Eh, Kid..? What're you doin' here?" A hint of concern escaped the tough exterior of the Weequay leader of a bunch of thugs who acted as bouncers as he glared down at… whatever this thing was. The blond smiled cheerfully at him, bouncing slightly on his toes.

"I'm hungry!" He piped by way of explanation.

"Well you don’t look like you've got any cash, so scram."

"That's okay!" The youth beamed. The bouncer noticed that there were a pair of odd scars on his cheeks.

"Look if you want food, you'll hafta work, and there's only the one kind of work here for pretty things like you here." He grinned menacingly.

"I understand- It'll be interesting having a job." The blond kept smiling, studying the bouncers like an inquisitive animal. "Besides, I haven't tried intercourse yet. It looks like fun!"

The group of bouncers stared at him, jaws hanging nearly down to their knees. The youth tilted his head and leaned in close to the leader.

"Come to think of it, I haven't tried Weequay yet either." He said, dark eyes bright. The bouncer blinked as he realized that the scars on the sides of his cheeks had opened up and a pair of tentacles were waving dangerously close to his face. He blinked again and-

"AAAAAUUUUUUGGGH!" He screamed, twitching a few times as he fell to the ground, bleeding from his nose and the youth stepped casually over him, bloody tentacles sliding back into the slits in his cheeks. He smacked his lips.

"Hm, the flesh is reasonably palatable, but the... I guess it's like a soup made of the Force… it's lacking. Perhaps there are tastier things inside." He mused aloud, padding down the hall. The scraping of terrified thugs running into the cantina for their hypothetical safety.

"THERE A NAKED GUY OUTSIDE WITH THESE KARKED-UP TENTACLES, HE'S GONNA KILL US!" Screamed one of the thugs as he entered the cantina. There was a moment of very confused silence. The youth appeared behind the thug's shoulder, peering curiously into the cantina. The silence grew more confused before being interrupted by the sound of a bounty hunter dragging his latest catch in and getting stalled behind the two. The youth turned to him.

"Oh! What are you? I've never seen anyone like you before!" He squealed.

"I, uh, I'm Garai. I'm a bounty hunter." He stared at the youth, not used to sudden interrogations by naked men.

"No, what species?"

"Uh… I'm a Nikto. Why?"

"I'm hungry and I love trying new foods. Maybe you'll taste better than the last one!" He beamed before the tentacles shot out again and the cantina screamed as a single being. As the bounty hunter's body fell to the floor, the blond blinked as he caught sight of his quarry- an similarly naked woman with blue skin, black hair and red eyes so wide he could see the stars reflected in them. She beamed as well and began to clap her hands in spite of the cuffs.

"Splendid! Splendid! Oh I've never seen anything like that!"

The youth blinked in surprise, tentacles only partially withdrawn and still dripping with green blood, unused to praise and admiration. He studied her more closely- the only other woman he'd seen up close was insectoid, so meeting something of a mammalian persuasion was of great interest. All sorts of interesting sensations began to run through him, particularly the raising of the fine hairs of his skin and the blood rushing to his face.

"Really?" He asked, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

"Really! I've seen all sorts of wonderful things, but that was terrific!" She gushed.

"What kinds of things?" He asked blankly, the lower sections of his brain taking over as they attempted to process every single detail of the lovely creature in front of them.  
"Here, take the cuffs off and-"

"NOW WAIT A MINUTE!" One of the Trandoshans managed to find his words again and charged at them, drawing out a large vibro knife. The Trandoshan screamed and the youth struggled to disengage his brain from whatever it was doing, but the woman stepped between them and jerked her cuffed hands into the knife, effectively cutting the cord and deflecting his blow. The knife was ripped from his grasp, twirled in the air for a second before she grabbed it, whirled around and jammed it deftly into his spine.

"See?" She said , pointing down at the struggling reptile. "If you get them right there, they can't use their legs, and a little higher up, they can't breathe!" She explained with the same fascinated tone of a child explaining what they'd learned in class that day.

"Fantastic!" He peered down at the seemingly insignificant wound that had left the bounty hunter's legs useless.

Behind him, there was the sound of dozens of safeties being clicked off, then clicked back on again as they remembered that The Rig wasn't as nicely built as most stations and blowing a seal would be a Bad Thing. This was followed by the unsheathing of all manner of sharp objects and hefting of blunt instruments.

"Want to see more?" She teased, arching an eyebrow at him. He grinned back at her and they charged the cantina in unison.

The youth felt his heart race and face flush as he watched her- he'd seen holos of dancers as part of his 'Conditioning' but she was so much more… visceral. Perhaps it was the viscera flying around her. For his own part, the force throbbed with pain and terror as he leaped from opponent to opponent, the energy rushing into him and giving him strength he could barely understand, letting him smash faces flat into walls and tear limbs from torsos. It was amazing, all so amazing, and he found himself laughing with delight.

He caught the eye of the blue woman in the middle of the frenzy, and his heart hitched- the blood framed her face just so, her dark hair flowing out behind her, eyes bright. She stared back at him and laughed as well, voice like silver and honey. Love was a rather common theme in the poetry and galactic culture that had been literally drilled into his brain, but it had always been a distant and alien concept to him. In that moment though, he understood.

He threw himself into the frenzy, full of delight and after a few more ripped arms and snapped necks, they were alone in the cantina, save the groaning near-corpses on the floor. She was beautiful, so beautiful, standing there on the other Trandoshan, covered in a prismatic spray of several species of blood, her smile like sunshine.

"Who are you?" He managed though his own heavy breathing.

"I'm Alanda. Who are you?" She tilted her head at him.

"41266." He rattled off, but flinched as she frowned.

"No, what is your name? Droids have numbers, people have names. Who are you?" She tried again.

"I… I don't have a name. They thought it was unnecessary." He looked down at the floor, drawing circles of body fluid on the floor with his toe, face flushed again.

"Oh… I see. They always try to lock me up and give me a number too." She looked down at the floor. There was a groan-and-whimpering filled silence between them. Then, with a loud crashing noise, one of the weakened sabacc tables collapsed and the cards were sent fluttering into the air. The youth blinked as one of them landed on his head, and he carefully took it and gazed at its face.

"The King. _Rex._ " He muttered to himself.

"I like King." Alanda encouraged him, picking her way over the corpses to stand next to him. She gazed at the tow-headed being printed on the card. "He kind of looks like you, doesn't he?"

"King. King. There's a ring to King." He tried it out for size and found it fitting. Alanda giggled. She wrapped her arms around her chest and shivered.

"They always keep it so blasted cold on these things." She muttered and began examining the bodies for clothing. "You should get some for yourself before you catch a chill." She pointed at a scar-faced former human who appeared to be of similar size. King picked his way over and a few bodies later had managed to assemble a warm and decent-looking outfit. He liked black. It was as far as he could get from the laboratory. He turned around to find Alanda all in black as well and they began to laugh again. 

He bounced over to her, arms wide and she took his embrace. To his surprise, she stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his, the sensation remarkably pleasant. He squeezed her tighter and flicked his tentacles across her cheek, pressing back into her. After a moment, they pulled apart. 

"I've never done that before…" He swayed, slightly dizzy.

"Me either." Alanda replied, flushed a darker blue across her cheeks.

"I liked it."

"Me too." They pulled each other close again. It was pleasant until their stomachs began to growl.

"Ugh, there's only booze and expired rations here." Alanda rolled her lovely dark red eyes. "Unless…" She peered at the bodies littered around him.

"Gather up all the weapons and gear you can find, and put them in that red ship at the end of the hangar. If we're fast enough, we can file off the identification markers and sell them off at the next guild station before anyone notices and then we'll have money for clothes and food and all that day-to-day stuff. Then we'll hit another rig like this, and we can save up that money, and eventually we'll have all the riches we could ever need."

"Arms dealing?" King remembered from his civics programming.

"Not professionally, but we all have to start somewhere. It's a solid business. Enough to last a lifetime, some people even build empires doing this." She nodded, hefting up a pair of heavy blasters and indicating he should do the same. He began to laugh again.

"An empire of my own? My name is perfect Alanda my darling!" He grabbed the blasters in one arm and swung her around with the other.

"Vivat Rex!"


	3. Chapter 3: In Which Ahsoka is Remarkably Unsurprised, and A Denizen of the Undernet Seeks a new Minion.

**Battle of Ringo Va, One Month After Chapter 2.**

The acrid odor of blaster fire filtered through Tup's helmet making him queasy. Or maybe he just hadn't gotten enough sleep the last few days. He shook his head to focus on the firefight- it was nearly done, they'd gotten so used to wrecking Clankers over the last ten days- and they must be getting near the bridge of the station for there to be this many.

"Die!" He heard Fives shout, blasting through the core of B-2, There was a movement over his brother's shoulder, a B-1 raising its blaster at him-

"Down! Tup shouted, shoving Fives to the side, and blasting the B-1. With that, Generals Tiplee and Tiplar sliced through the final droids in this hall and things went silent save for the panting of the remaining clones. There were only half as many of them as there were when the mission started. It would be worth it if they captured the station, a major turning point in the war, they were told. Tup turned back to Fives.

"Thanks," Fives said as Tup Helped pull him up. "I owe you one."

"You owe me more than one." Tup teased.

"C'mon, let's regroup before the next assault." Fives clapped a hand on his shoulder and Tup turned to follow him back to the general, but-

There was a sudden sharp pain in the side of his head, and sparks danced in his eyes for a moment. He pressed his hand against his helmet.

"Tup? You okay?" The older clone put his hand on his brother's shoulder. Ever since the incident with the wrench, Fives and Kix had been a pair of Mother Nunas to him. The outburst of pain faded, but his eyes still burned and he felt dizzy.

"Ugh, Just a headache. Tired. Very tired." He slurred, distantly aware that he was probably in much worse shape than he thought he was. If he were to try to explain the sensation, it was less painful, and more like he was… falling asleep. The sleeping wasn't painful, trying to stay awake was. _Good soldiers… No, we're about to get in a firefight, I can't sleep now._ He shook his head, knocking his face against the inside of his bucket- he'd lost enough weight on this little adventure that nothing fit right anymore.

"Just hang on a bit more. We're nearly there." Fives wrapped an arm around his shoulders and guided him back towards the group. "Here, have one of my rations. You're probably just hungry."

Tup took it and pushed his helmet half-up to take a bite. Dull and flavorless as ever, but it tasted like home. The darkness was welcome- he was certain that even the dim lights of the space station would make his headache worse. He listened to the general and while the specific words were fuzzy and didn't quite make it to his head, but he got the idea- two more rooms full of Clankers and a blast door and they'd be on the bridge, and he could get some rest. He could stay up for two more rooms once the adrenaline kicked in. If anything else, he'd just stick close to Fives. Fives wouldn't let anything happen to him.

"All right, Move out!" he head Skywalker call. They all moved down the hall toward the second-to-last-room, ready for the final battle. Tup took up a flanking position behind Master Tiplee, and the sleepiness came back as he watched her tendrils gently wave. _Tiplee is a nice Jedi, maybe I could ask her to take a look at my head later- Jedi are the Enemy. What?_

He shook his head harder this time and nearly slammed into Fives beside him, who turned his attention from the gathering droids to his brother. The sharp pain in the side of his head was suddenly back, making him see stars again as he jerked himself awake. He was beginning to get the distinct impression of being pushed out of his own body. _It was supposed to do that. If he'd just sleep, it wouldn't hurt. Good soldiers went to sleep when they were told. Good soldiers…_

"Good soldiers follow orders." He muttered. He began to slowly look up where he remembered Tiplee being. _The Jedi… The Jedi are the enemy…_ Fives turned on him suddenly as he spoke. 

"You're in no condition to fight. Back of the line." Fives growled, leaving him no room to argue.

"But…" He was torn between the two compulsions- Kill the Jedi, Follow orders. Fives was giving him a direct order, and he couldn't recall who it was who told him to kill the Jedi- there were other clones in front of him. They would carry it out.

"Back of the line! Now!" Fives almost shouted.

"Good Soldiers Follow Orders." Tup weakly decided. He got up, unresisting as Fives took the heavy blaster out of his hands and stumbled back towards the end of the line, other clones looking at him. They should be paying attention, they had to kill the Jedi. 

_What? Why? Tiplee's our commanding officer! Our friend! What's going on?_ Tup reached the end of the line and nudged his way around the alien orders by lying down. It was kind of like going to sleep, and would keep him from-

_Jedi are the enemy, kill the jedi!_

_No! Why? Why am I thinking this?_

_Do not resist! Kill the Jedi!_

_No!_

_KILL THE JEDI! GET UP AND KILL THE JEDI!_

"NO!" He screamed aloud this time. These weren't his thoughts, this was all wrong. 

_GET UP!_ They screamed again. He couldn't resist the urge to get up this time. 

"Just stop, Please stop! You have to stop! I can't do that, She's my friend!"

_KILL THE JEDI._

They must be coming from the pain in his head. There was only one way to get them to stop, he realized. He tore his helmet off and deliberately threw himself at the floor, slamming down as hard as he could- 

**CRUNCH.**

*

**CRUNCH.**

Fives wasn't sure how he heard it all, the small organic noise meters being him around the corner, but his stomach twisted immediately. He forced his attention back to the firefight, taking up a position flanking general Tiplee. She cut through the droids more gracefully than General Skywalker, but with much less power. Her sister hummed a few meters off to his left. On and on and on they pushed, half a meter or less, but they were so damn close now- on the other side of the blast door was that eight-armed freak and a bad blow to the seppies. _No wonder there were so many clankers._

Again, something tugged at his ear- a high pitched whining like a wounded animal. For a moment, he turned to listen. _A fallen brother?_

"DUCK!" Kix shouted, shoving him down. A bright red bolt screamed through where his head had just been. "What the hell Fives, pull it together!" Kix shouted in the hoarse tone he developed when his brothers were dying too fast. Fives shook his head and pulled himself up and yanked Kix out of the way from another bolt. _That noise… probably another 'casualty'._ he thought. _Nothing I can do for him except win this._

Despite the deafening noise- the bolts echoed much louder in this station than most places- but still, Fives was sure Tup was calling for him from where he'd left him. _But that would be impossible- he's got to be at least fifty meters behind us and I can barely hear the general as it is._

He lost track of time, but slowly the droids dwindled and their tactics faltered as their circuits overheated- they must be two hours into this firefight for that to be happening- and the clones began to hit more and fall less. Finally, finally, they got to the blast doors, and the panel that would prevent Admiral Trench from escaping. Fixer ran up to it and shoved in a data spike, taking a readout as everyone caught their breath.

"He's still here! The escape pods jammed when we hit the transformer back there!"

"Now we get some good news!" Skywalker grinned, shoulders still heaving, but quickly regaining his enthusiasm.

"-but so are the blast doors." Fixer winced. "I can keep him in that room, but only for a few minutes. Then he'll probably run for the hangar."

"Not a problem." Tiplar patted his shoulder, strode up to the heavy doors, and sank her lightsaber in to the hilt. Tiplee and Skywalker followed her lead, melting the doors until they could push the weakened parts in with the Force. Fives stepped back, still panting from exertion and felt Rex come up beside him. he shook Five's shoulder in approval, looking equally exhausted. 

There was a loud creaking from the Jedi and the middle of the door caved in. The crash of the door was followed by a distant 'How could you? this fortress is invincible!', followed further by Skywalker boasting something about 'I don’t think that word means what you think it means'. Tiplee and Tiplar simultaneously slapped their hands over their eyes and groaned.

"Let's just arrest him, and you can banter all you want once he's in a holding cell." Tiplar told Skywalker. He pouted a little as they wrestled three binders on his too-many hands and hauled him out. There was a cheer from the men as they shoved him through the portal. Fives yanked his helmet off, wiping sweat out of his eyes, Rex followed suit, doing that little twirl as he put his blasters back in their holsters. They shared a relieved grin.

"Fives..?" Someone called weakly.

"Tup?" Fives turned and ran back down the hall, nearly tripping over pieces of droid. "Oh no, TUP!" Rex followed him, hopping through the debris and carnage as well.

"What happened to Tup?" Said Rex.

"There's something wrong with his head- I think it's from the wrench. I sent him to the back of the line- I thought he was right behind me-" Fives rounded the corner and stared down at Tup lying on the floor. There was a small pool of blood forming under his head. 

"Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers…" he whimpered.

"Tup?" Fvies asked.

Tup's eyes were glassy, but he turned his face to the sound.

"Fives? I-I hurt myself. I can't see. The voices were hurting me." he said, the effort draining him and he dropped his head back down.

"Where are you running off to this- Oh no." Kix appeared behind them, eyes going wide as he saw Tup. He dropped to his knees and leaned over him, swallowing hard as he saw the damage to the side of his head.

"Kix?" Tup said weakly. "I can't see."

"Yeah, you probably can't. We'll get a stretcher up here and get you back to base. Just stay very, very still. Fives, stay next to him, make sure he doesn't move."

"Yeah." He slowly crouched down next to Tup and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, we won." he tried to distract Tup as Rex and Kix stepped back.

"Good soldiers follow orders…" Fives shivered. The words were eerily familiar. He looked up at Rex and Kix, and they shared a look. _We all know this._

"What happened?" Rex kept his voice down.

"What happened?" asked Skywalker, not keeping his voice down at all.

"I hurt myself." Tup said weakly. "They were hurting me."

"He's hurt the side of his head- cracked his skull like an egg. It's amazing he's alive at all." Kix waved his hand down, indicating the General should keep his voice down as the other two Jedi joined them. "We need to get him on a stretcher and to a med center as fast as possible."

"I know how to use the force to heal, will that help?" Tiplar offered.

"Anything will help now. Just don't move him- I don't know if he's broken his neck too. STRETCHERS!" He shouted as the growing crowd of clones staring down at Tup, knowing something was far more amiss than usual. Half a dozen of them shot off back towards the base. Tiplar knelt down beside fives and gingerly touched her fingers to Tup's head. Immediately he stopped shuddering and blinked a few times.

"Fives?"

"It's me. General Tiplar's helping patch you up. We're going to get you back to Kamino real soon, you'll be okay.

"N-no…" 

"Everything will be all right." She said, trying to soothe him. Fives glanced up to see Skywalker standing above them, frozen in horror. Fives realized that Tup's injury was precisely where Skywalker had hit him with the wrench. 

"N-No. Not Kamino…"

"He's delirious. I'm going to sedate him and get him to a transport." Said Kix. The stretcher levitated up. Skywalker stepped back and turned his face away from him. 

*

Tup heard master Tiplar speaking distantly and sighed with relief. Then there were the voices of Tiplee and Skywalker as well. _Oh good. They're all right._

He felt pressure on his arm and assumed it was Kix injecting him with a sedative. He sighed with relief as he felt himself sinking into the dreamless darkness.

_I did it. I didn't Kill the Jedi. Good soldier._

*

**Padme's apartment, Coruscant**

"Oh."

The word would have been nearly inaudible, but Togruta hearing was some of the best in the galaxy. Ahsoka looked up from the datapad where she had been browsing for new roommates. Padme and Bail had been extraordinarily generous, letting her stay with them, but she felt leaving Coruscant would be best. For her, and for everyone she knew. She saw Padme looking down at her own datapad, slightly pale.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"I- I need to tell you something. Sabe, you will need to hear this too." She motioned them over, and they sat down next to the senator, Ahsoka taking her hand. She felt… strange. Sabe sat on her other side, studying her friend with a serious expression.

"Sabe, you know more, but Ahsoka- Anakin and I, we have a relationship."

"I know you're close friends, he'd talk about you all the time. Did something happen to him?"

"No, we're not friends- I mean, we are friends but- I'm pregnant."

"What? How?!" Ahsoka and Sabe asked at the same time.

"Well, the usual way." Said padme.

"I thought you were on birth control!" said Sabe.

"I thought he would have been sterile after all those X-rays!"Said Ahsoka.

"That's what you're upset about?" Padme looked between them.

"Honestly, it was pretty obvious you both had crushes on each other, and- Well, you look kind of funny. In the force. But if you're carrying a kid, it explains everything. I'm surprised, but also kind of not?"

Padme opened and closed her mouth a few times.

"It's going to be exciting, wearing a baby pillow." Sabe noted.

"I'm glad you're both taking this so well." Padme grumbled. "I just hope he takes it this well."

"You haven't told him yet?" Ahsoka.

"I only found out a minute ago- the results just came in from the doctor. He needs to know as soon as possible- We need to go to him."

Sabe and Ahsoka glanced between each other.

"My Lady- he's on the very front of battle. I cannot recommend going there in any case, let alone in your present condition."

"Sabe, I'm pregnant, not dying. But you're right. I shouldn't be risking the baby's life." She thought for a moment. "Ahsoka? I had a thought, but feel free to tell me it's terrible."

"What? I owe you so much already."

"I wouldn't ask you to see Anakin directly, but if you could contact Captain Rex and tell him I need to speak to Ani, that might be the most direct and covert way."

"Well, sure. I wanted to call him anyway, as soon as he got back from Ringo Va. Gonna be a really awkward call- I mean, I won't say anything but Rex is pretty smart and he'll probably guess."

"Thank you Ahsoka. Sabe and I need to make some arrangements, but if you have any more questions-"

"Not really. I'm a little in shock and- well, kind of mad at him, going on about detachment all the time. This is the kind of thing I should meditate on before I do anything rash, But I'll call Rex for you as soon as I get word that the battle's over." She nodded. Padme leaned over and hugged her, her sense of relief washing over Ahsoka in a cool wave. 

When she pulled back, she was smiling, her presence lighter than it had been in months.

*

**Commander Fox's Office, Coruscant**

Fox frowned at the Coffe pot. He and the device had never really gotten along, and now he was certain that it was deliberately making sludge to get back at him for using the machine upstairs. After Flora's incident with Briggan though, they thought it best to avoid the area. Fox's comm beeped at him, interrupting his ruminations. He groaned, it was probably more orders- but frowned slightly when he saw the number.

"Captain Rex?" he asked when a small hologram of if the captain appeared above his arm.

"Commander Fox. I, I just wanted to thank you for helping us search for comman- Ahsoka after she was released."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about the first mess too. Someone kills your men you just- you know. You were right about her- She's been down a few times while she's staying with Senator Amidala and getting things lined up. Nice lady. Definitely not a clone-killer. But you didn't call me from the outer rim to make nice with me." Fox said, squinting at Rex.

"Is there anyone else around? I need to ask you something. Private." he asked, voice oddly high and nervous.

"Only me and the Coffee pot here. " Fox leaned back in his seat, ready to listen.

"There was an.. Incident. Remember Tup?"

"Long hair, got hit with a wrench. Tano told me. What happened?" Fox stopped swirling his sludge.

"He… we don't know actually, He started actin' strange in the middle of the battle, and next time I saw him, his head was caved in. Maybe he fell or somethin', but I don't think it was an accident. He kept repeating 'Good soldiers-"

"Good soldiers follow orders. Kill the Jedi. From the nightmares." Fox finished, looking horrified. 

"Kriff, not you too. I thought it was just me, but now Tup, and half the troops say they've had the same thing. I was hopin' that since you don't see as much action, you might not be as messed up in the head and it was just us."

"No, I've had them too, so's Rusty and Creed. An' when the wolfpack was here, I thought I heard one of 'em saying that, but I wrote it off. Probably should find a more secure line to talk about this though."

"Yeh, word of this conversation could get us both in trouble." Rex looked over his shoulder.

"Our Little Secret then." Fox said.

"Our what?" Rex asked, tilting his head at the saying.

"It's our saying for whenever we get up to sedition." 

"Our? You and that Flora lady got something going on?" Rex chuckled. Fox jerked his face away, blushing so hard Rex could probably see it over the colorless comm.

"I can keep my mouth shut to everyone before we start a panic. Flora though- she might be a little trickier." Rex teased.

"Don't you dare!" Fox whipped his head back, eyes wide.

"Our little secrets." Rex waved him down. Fox smiled half-heartedly.

"Our little secrets." 

*

**Naboo, Theed:**

Slagthor The Anihilator's basement-level apartment had only a few tiny windows and barely any outside ventilation, which suited her perfectly. The dust could harm her precious babies- a dozen hand-built computers, more portable datapads and a sprawling monstrosity that took up most of her bedroom, lovingly named The Kludge. Huge cables fed it's insatiable appetite for power. It had more antennae than a military-grade comm tower, and five oversize screens arranged in a sort of wall in front of a recliner. They displayed various social media accounts, a MMORPG called Crypts and Krayts where Slagthor lived, and one was formatting a dataspike just for fun.

The lack of light and fresh air suited her too- In real life, Slagthor was a Twi'lekk named Phryne, colored an off-white vaguely purplish hue. She burned like a vampire in direct sunlight, not to mention the dozens of allergies. 'Friends' of hers insisted that going outside more often would help with those conditions, but she didn't quite believe them. People on the undernet were known for their cruel pranks.

Right now, she had finished today's worth of level-grinding and her wandering attention had turned to the task of finding a new roommate. The last one walked out on her after getting his ass handed to him during the Taungsday night raid. 

"Oh, she looks interesting- No smoking, pets okay- if she counts my little babies as pets, we'll get along fine. I need somebody to help pay the rent. And help me remember how to have actual conversations." She scrolled through the profile- Togruta, 18- young, but Phryne was her age when she left home- Currently living on Coruscant, hobbies include meditation, reading archives and touring the city. Wants to move in ASAP." She read off, peering through her thick ocular correctives. 

"Well, sounds quiet, and if she wants to go out after dark, exploring doesn't sound so bad… I'll send her an invite so we can talk over the live-text function." Phryne typed up what she thought was a polite-sounding invitation to crypts and Krayts so they could get to know each other. Maybe Slagthor could gain a new minion, even if she didn't want to be Phryne's roommate

"I wonder if she'd be willing to play a cleric?"


	4. Chapter 4: In which Palpatine Nearly Pukes and Fox Develops a Crush

**Chapter 4: In which Palpatine Nearly Pukes and Fox Develops a Crush**

**Tipoca City, Kamino.**

Hours after they had strapped Tup into the hold of the ship, the detachment of the 501st arrived at the main medical center in Tipoca city, Fives at his side, holding his hand. Tup breathed slowly under the ventilation mask, deep under Kix's drugs. He followed the Kamino security clones down the halls towards the medical rooms, feeling oddly homesick.   
He could remember it all- the gleaming hallways, the smell of industrial-grade disinfectant- any second he might turn a corner and see good old Ninety-nine. No. wait. Ninety-nine had been his first friend to die in the war. Now Tup might be joining him. 

_"Go with him." Rex had said, lightly pushing Fives toward the ship where they were taking Tup back at Ringo Vinda. "I have to keep an eye on the General. He's… Upset again. Probably feelin' guilty about Tup. But he needs someone to look after him too."_

_"I won't leave him for a minute." Fives had promised._

_"You've got to tell General Ti about what he said I know it's not just him-not just us. I'll ask around, maybe it's only the 501st, but the Jedi have to know. I don't think they'd believe us, or they'd panic."_

_"General Ti's not one to lose her head. She'll know what to do." He reassured Rex before following his brother into the transport to Kamino._

They finally got to the room, and Fives was surprised to see Shaak Ti waiting for them inside.

"General?" He asked, taking his helmet off out of respect. 

"Master Tiplee called ahead and explained the situation." She nodded to Fives before turning her attention to Tup. "An attempted suicide is very troubling and I wished to see him in person." Her eyes went wide and she had to stifle a gasp when she saw the side of his head. He blinked his eyes open and his lips moved under the mask.

"I think he's tryin' to say something." Fives leaned in. Shaak reached down and gingerly pulled the mask down from Tup's face. His breathing was unsteady and he shivered as he spoke.

"Good soldiers follow orders. Kill the Jedi."

There was a long moment of strained silence as Shaak Ti stared at him in horror.

"This is serious." She stood back up, regaining her composure. "It must be quite a head injury."

"That's-that's not that I'm worried about. I mean, I am worried about him, but, er. I've heard that before." Fives tried to explain. Shaak stood up straight and studied him, face not unkind. "I sometimes-I have nightmares. Where I hear something and I… I have orders to kill the Jedi. I turn my blaster on Ahsoka or General Kenobi, once I even dreamed I turned it on you- I, I don't want to, I scream and scream but it's all in my head and I can't disobey the order…" He felt himself beginning the breathe too fast, heart pounding in his ears. She reached out and touched his hand.

"Has anyone else had these dreams?"

"At least a few of us, I think." 

She nodded quietly. "I feel that-" She didn't get to finish as Tup began to convulse. "Easy, easy…" She soothed, touching the uninjured side of his head. At that moment, the door opened and a female Kaminoan appeared with a small medical droid floating in tow behind her. It immediately hovered over to Tup and began scanning him. Fives noted it was a slightly dated model of an A-Z medical droid.

"I am Nala Se. I am here to determine the cause of this unit's malfunction." Fives stared at her. Even for a Kaminoan that was callous, more so after he'd gotten used to being treated as a human by General Skywalker. Shaak Ti stared at her with better-concealed disgust.

"The scans are inconclusive. It is running a fever and has elevated white blood cell activity, consistent with fighting an infection, but I cannot find a point of entry for the disease- his lungs seem to be uninfected and there are no dermal abrasions." the droid told Nala Se, rather than Fives or the General.

"I'm afraid we'll have to run hypertests on him to determine the cause of his illness-" Nala Se began, peering down at the clone.

"I realize I'm not a medical professional, but I'm fairly certain that he has a massive head injury and we should stabilize that before running those tests on him. In his condition hypertests could be lethal." Shaak Ti said, glaring up at her. She reached out and gently touched Tup shoulder, breathing out slowly. For a moment, Tup stopped shivering and looked a little better.

"Good sol…" He trailed off as his breathing steadied.

"We would be able to examine his remains to determine the cause then." Nala Se said.

Shaak halted whatever she was doing to slowly turn back to the Kaminoan, disgust no longer concealed.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked.

"WHAT?" Fives asked more bluntly.

"An autopsy would be able to determine the cause of this anomaly with great certainty." Nala Se explained.

"WHAT?" Fives repeated, louder this time. The droid hovered away from him into a corner.

"ARC Trooper Fives." Shaak spoke sharply, not turning her gaze from the Kaminoan. "If you cannot control yourself, I must order you to leave."

"Y-Yes sir." He stood up straight, understanding.

"Medic, if you would follow him and keep him under observation."

"Yes sir!" The droid darted out of his corner, still leery of Fives. Carefully watching the Jedi, Fives stepped closer to his brother and took his hand.

"It's okay Tup, I'll be right outside."

Shaak Ti corrected him. "Actually, I believe a walk will do you much good." 

"Yes sir." he said, gave Tup's hand a squeeze, and turned to leave the room. Both women watched the door shut behind them.

"I must demand that we give it hypertests before we proceed any further. We need more data."

"Are you quite sure you are a doctor? I understand there is an oath they must take, something to the effect that one must first do no harm." Shaak eyed her from the side, returning her hands to Tup's shoulders.

"I am thinking of the army as a whole. If it is carrying a disease we must determine what it is before it spreads." Nala Se said.

"All aspects of what is happening to him can be accounted for by the fact that his skull is caving in." Shaak said, exasperated. 

"This unit is property of the Kaminoan Government and therefore it must be dealt with in a manner we see fit." Nala Se tried.

"This _man_ is _my_ responsibility. However, if you insist on referring to him as property, I believe the Council bought and paid for him, making him mine to deal with in a manner I see fit." Shaak retorted.

They glared at each other in silence. Tup moaned quietly.

"We seem to be at an impasse." Nala Se said.

"Perhaps. It would be wise to contact a higher level of authority to resolve this." Shaak stood firm between the clone and cloner. 

"That would be wise" Nala Se agreed. "If you will go-" 

"I will _stay here_ with _my soldier_ and contact the Council. I believe your Prime Minister is on the seventy-first floor if you wish to speak to him in person." Shaak put her hands on her hips and opened her robe a little, rapidly losing patience with her. Nala Se frowned down at her before her eyes darted down to the Jedi's now-visible lightsaber.

"Very well. I will meet you here once we have finished." Nala Se huffed before turning and walking a little too quickly out the door.

Shaak Ti turned back to Tup and gently placed her hands back on his shoulders, drawing the Force into her and sending it flowing into the clone's body. The healing technique seemed to be working quite well in terms of stabilizing him and stopping the awful chant, but the results faded quickly once she let go. She took his head in her hands and directed the force into his brain, focusing on the wound. His color improved immediately, and he opened his eyes.

"Voices… Nightmares … It was them, they told us… Follow orders. Kill the jedi. I don't want to, I don’t-" He tried to speak, but was barely intelligible.

"Who told you? What did they tell you to do?" Shaak Ti asked him, pushing the sweat-slicked hair that had worked loose from his bun out of his face.

"They did… Follow orders, Kill the Jedi… I don't want to hurt… Nightmares…" Tup tried to explain, eyes pleading. The effort was too great and he began to cry in pain.

"It's all right. You won't hurt anyone. Just sleep." she soothed, lacing her words with the Force. His eyes fluttered closed, and he went limp under her hands. He breathed deeply and evenly, and she took a few more minutes to pour healing energy into his brain before letting go to call the council. The effect began to fade, but not as quickly. She dialed the long code into her comm unit.

"This is Shaak Ti. Come In."

"Yes, Master Ti?" Mace asked, a small hologram of him appeared on her wrist.

"We may have a serious problem. One of the clones has sustained a serious head injury and keeps repeating that he's been ordered to kill the Jedi. I would have written it off as an effect of the injury, but his friend says he's had similar nightmares. That, and the Kaminoans seem rather keen on killing him "

Mace stared at her blankly for a moment. "This is serious. Is the clone in question stable enough to make it back to the Temple for examination?"

"Possibly, if I stay next to him and keep pouring healing energy into him. But I don't like his chances. Even making this call I can see him getting worse. I know I'm not a full healer, but it seems like he's being poisoned as well as having sustained a skull fracture. When I look at him in the force, there's a darkness surrounding the injury that isn't explained by what he's gone through- like the Dark Side of the Force is trying to kill him too. 

And his friend, ARC Trooper Fives… The Force is doing peculiar things around him as well. Energy is surrounding him, the Force guiding his actions, though I doubt he knows it. I released him into the facility and told him to walk around. I feel that he will find something of great importance. I also feel that this is a matter that should be handled purely internally, lest we cause a panic in the Senate or the general public. It still could be a coincidence."

"There is a sudden explosion of activity around Cato Nemodia and we are needed to man the front, but I will inform the rest of the Council as soon as possible. For now, do your best to keep him alive and extradite him with minimum fuss. May the Force be with you." Mace nodded.

"May the Force be with you as well."

*

**Chancellor Palpatine's Office, Coruscant**

Palpatine was sat his desk, handing files to his various assistants over the comm channels, doing the necessary legwork to support his political empire. The morning sun shined brightly through the skyline window, traffic was moving remarkably well, and a chubby Peggi-bird sat on the sill, preening itself. 

_Disgusting morning._ He thought.

"This goes to Senator Cannis, this to Senator Golligg, and these to the office of Curoscant internal aff-"

Then it came, and he nearly lurched out of his chair. Something horrific was happening to his skull- no, not his, someone else's, this was the Force- and for a moment the pain caused power from the Dark Side to surge through him, white-hot and electric. He slammed his hands against the desk, knocking over his coffee with a loud clatter.

"Sir!" The ever-present Commander Fox heard the commotion and turned from his post at the door to peer in at him.

"It's fine just a little nerve spasm-" He began, and then the second wave hit.

The sensation was coming from the part of his brain that processed his sense of equilibrium. This was not so alarming in that the Force had to make use of his neurons to express its power and pathways. What alarmed him was the sense that he had been carrying a heavy burden and one of the restraining cords had just snapped, shifting the entire load dangerously out of balance. He lurched, the signal from the Force potently tactile, and he thought he might actually be falling.

"SIR!" The clone ran for him, reaching for his shoulder. "Do you need a medic?"

Palpatine fought the dizzying sensation down, and glared up at the clone. "I'm fine! Leave me!" He snarled, voice harsh as his façade momentarily slipped.

"Sorry sir. I'll be outside." The clone backed off. Palpatine watched him disappear before turning back to the assembled holograms.

"Pardon me, I'm afraid these things come with age. I will return after lunch." He smiled in a grandfatherly fashion at the assistants, all of whom nodded in agreement and vanished with a chorus of 'Yes your Excellency'. He pressed a button off to the side which closed the doors, lowered the shades and set up a whole host of security measures. He just needed to meditate for a few minutes, to figure out where that had come from. Jedi were nauseated by sensations of the Dark Side, and he by the Light. Something had happened that threatened to tip the balance he'd worked so hard to create. _I can't have that._

Sidious reached out with his mind, looking for the source- he heard blasterfire and the chanting of 'good soldiers follow orders.' One of the clone's chips had gone off early, he realized. _This is not good._

An image of the Togruta Jedi Councilor appeared as well and the sickening sensation doubled. Now the Jedi were aware something was amiss. Swift action must be taken.   
In the security of his quarters, there was a plain black robe that did an excellent job covering his face- several actually. The tailor had done an admirable job. Such a shame he had to be disposed of.

He returned to his desk and placed a call to Kamino on a secure line. They answered almost immediately, the Prime Minister, his aide and one of the lesser officials standing at attention before him.

"There has been an issue with one of the clones." He told them. Pleasantries had been disposed of ages ago.

"One of the implants appears to have deteriorated and activated early, my Lord." Tuan We confirmed his suspicions. 

"And the Jedi?"

"She suspects something is amiss but the unit has suffered severe cranial damage. She believes that is the cause of his actions, but she has contacted the council." Lama Su explained. 

"There is a significant chance that the unit will die before any tests can be run by the Jedi." Tuan We offered.

"I do not like chances. Make certain it does." he ordered. She flinched slightly at his tone.

"Y-yes my Lord. We will see to it now." They bowed. He blinked out, having sufficiently terrified them. 

Sidious leaned back in his chair and reached out into the Force again. There are other issues. _Tano has not been disposed of as thoroughly as I hoped, and there is a strange and growing connection between her and the captain of the 501st. Skywalker will need to be separated from them. And Amidala…_ Her medical reports had arrived at his desk possibly sooner than the news had been broken to her. _This could be turned to my advantage… Skywalker's connection to her could further sever his ties with the Order, especially if she forces him to choose._

It took nearly an hour of reviewing his various plots and consideration of his odds before Sidious decided on a course of action. _My plans must be accelerated. Spreading the resources of the Jedi further is the first order of business._

He placed a call to Tyrannus over the secure line. He knew he would have to leave a message. His apprentice was currently in hyperspace en route to Scippio from Cato Nemodia as he had been instructed. He could wait for Tyrannus to hear it, it would be his responsibility to come up with a plan anyway. _What is the point of having an apprentice if they don't do some of the work for you?_

"Lord Tyrannus. We must hasten out plans. I am pleased with your work recently, but you must continue it to keep the Jedi busy. Make General Grievous earn his keep."

_Now to harass Amidala further. More than half-a-dozen war votes in the next two days ought to tax her. And if Skywalker were to return from Ringo Vinda during this time, she will put him off again and their relationship would grow more tenuous. Perfect. Time to take off the robe and re-summon the assistants._

_No rest for the wicked, as the saying goes._

*  
 **The Resolute, Outer-Rim Fueling Station**

Rex collapsed in his bunk, relieved to be showered and out of his armor. They had stopped to re-fuel before bringing Admiral Trench to Coruscant for trial. The other men were scattered about the ship-someone had to guard it against any seppies come to resuce trench, others were stuck in the medbay, but mostly they were in que to get into the showers. Maybe this time he'd be able to fall asleep before the rest of the men came in and kept him awake talking, throwing boots and snoring… They were better behaved when they were trying not to wake him anyway.

Unfortunately, his worries about Tup and what Fox had said were overriding his need for sleep. He stared up at the roof of his bunk, not quite fully conscious, mind turning over half-baked scenarios.

His comm buzzed, and he almost didn't notice. It buzzed again and he turned his head. 

Ahsoka's number.

He sat up abruptly, and whacked his head against the top of his bunk. He rubbed his head and looked around to make sure everyone else was sleeping before answering.

"Sir?"

"Rex! Are you alright?" She appeared in blue light on his arm in a new dress, presumably from Senator Amidala. She looked… Nice. He shook his head, trying to clear it. _This must be important. Concentrate._

"I'm fine, just tire- No, actually" He stopped. _I have to tell her. She'd know in a heartbeat if I was lying. Always could read me like a book._ "Something's come up. Tup got hurt again and he- Look, I can't tell you over this line. But get away from Coruscant, way away from the front lines. Please." 

"It's okay Rex. Nothing's going to happen to me. I'm with Padme." She smiled reassuringly. He was about to point out that the general vicinity of Padme Amidala was one of the most dangerous places in the galaxy, but decided to let it drop. _She's a Jedi. Order or not. She knows how t take care of herself. But still…_

"I've got a message I can't tell you about either- Just tell Anakin he needs to contact Padme right away. Preferably face-to face. It's kind of an emergency. She's headed back to Naboo and I'm coming with her. You bring mast-Anakin and while they talk you can tell me what's wrong." she told him.

"Is she alright?"

"Yeah, it's nothing dangerous, but he needs to talk to her as soon as possible. How are you? You look terrible." She reached her hand out to him, palm open. He returned the gesture- like they were touching a mere pane of glass instead of being hundreds of thousands of light-years apart. She glitched slightly.

"I'm alright. it's just that things are… I'll explain when I get there."

She turned to look over her shoulder. "I'll be right there! We're leaving right now. Until then?"

"Until then."

*

**Commander Fox's Office, Coruscant**

"Honestly! Six war votes in two days! Who does he think he is, scheduling something like that?" Flora paced circles in the command center. She'd gotten off her shift with Senator Chuchi late again, and had come down to the small, dingy metal room where Fox spent most of his time cooped up with little more than the coffe pot and the occasional lost shiny to keep him company. Coruscant was a… reliable job. It was much like being station at an outer rim communications post- 99% boredom to 1% utter bedlam. Only instead of a clanker invasion, he had to deal with the occasional murderous Jedi. He'd be off shift soon, but for now, the conversation was… pleasant.

"He probably thinks he's the Supreme Chancellor of The Republic." Fox replied, swirling the coffee pot's sludge in a battered mug. He was quite certain the pot was deliberately making a terrible brew to get back at him for using the upstairs machine. "I know it's not fair to Chuchi or the rest of the anti-war crowd, but he is entitled to do these things. Part of his 'War Powers'."

"Powers no Chancellor has ever had! Powers nobody is entitled to! He thinks himself an emperor!" She spat. Fox chuckled. He knew it was demeaning to be told one was cute when angry, but he enjoyed the look of her flushed cheeks and the way her hair came loose from her tight bun and fell about her shoulders. She was rather attractive most of the time, really. He felt himself blushing again and shook his head, trying to get it out of his head.

"Are you well?" She stopped her invective, and put her hand on his, voice full of concern. His face flushed scarlet to match his armor and jerked his hand away to hide his face, pretending to rub his eyes.

"Just a rotten night of sleep. Nightmares." He muttered. He stopped when realized what he'd said.

"What nightmares?" She asked.

"I, er, it's kind of a secret."

"You have secret nightmares?" She asked, arching an eyebrow at him. 

"No. Forget I said anything."

She smiled warmly at him, walked around to the other side of the desk, and sat on it next to him. He went back to focusing very hard on his mug, unused to this kind of proximity.

"Fox, my dear friend." She patted his shoulder. "You have the tremendous virtue of being a terrible liar." She took his chin in her thumb and forefinger, gently guiding his gaze back to hers. "You can trust me."

He hesitated. _I promised to keep it a secret for Rex, but- well if I only told her about my nightmares, it isn't really betraying Rex. I need to trust someone. I can trust her._

"Sometimes… Sometimes I have nightmares where I march into the temple and turn my blaster on the Jedi. I can see their bodies, not just the generals but the little ones too." he whispered, frightened of the words. "I'm scared of myself. I feel like it might actually happen someday." 

Her eyes went wide and she let go of his chin. _Great. Now I've scared her she'll never talk to me again-_

Suddenly, she threw her arms around him, tucking his head under his chin and squeezing him tightly. He melted into her, burying his face in her shoulder. He gulped air, not quite crying, but in no state to breathe normally. She was so soft, so warm- he was safe.

"I am so sorry. I shouldn't have asked- it must be horrible for you." She stroked his hair and he reveled in it, shaking with relief. Unconsciously, he hugged her back- she was so warm and soothing. "It will not happen. I won't allow it." she said, voice like iron, and he believed her. They stayed in their embrace for a few moments more, before Fox pulled back and breathed deeply, recovering from the waves of emotion. He rubbed his eyes for real this time.

"That's not it though- His Excellency had some kind of fit this morning. I asked him if I should get a medic, and he snapped at me like Grizzler used to. He's usually polite-but-nasty to me, but this was… There was something wrong." he said, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling. "What the hell is going on?"

"Many things are going on, I believe." Flora nodded, tapping her finger against her lips. "I will ask the questions. It is too dangerous for you to be nosy. Keep your ears open though, you may learn things of great importance. I will report this to the Alliance when the next convene." She looked back down at him. "Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?"

He thought about it a second and his brain helpfully re-played the feeling of Flora's embrace for him.

"Yeah. I think I'll sleep just fine."


	5. In Which Medical Supplies Are Not Used For Their Intended Purpose and People Make Friends Over the Holonet.

**Chapter 6: In Which Medical Supplies Are Not Used For Their Intended Purpose and People Make Friends Over the Holonet.**

**Hallways of primary cloning facility, Tipoca City, Kamino.**

"Unit 5555, where are we going?" A-Z asked, floating nervously behind the agitated trooper through the white halls.

"Fives! My name is Five-S! With an S!" Fives practically shouted in reply, making some of his younger brothers dart away.

"The difference is minimal." The droid sulked.

"Not to me, not to any of us." he growled back. He stomped down the hall fuming at both the droid and the Jedi. Force knew what they were doing to Tup, he should be there for his brother-

"Where are we going?" A-Z tried again.

"I don't know." He stopped and sighed. "You pick a place Azee." It had been too long since he had gotten a good night's sleep, but now he was too nervous to close his eyes. _So much for the bunks then._

"What did you call me?" The droid rotated its head at him, bug-like eyes focusing in on him.

"Azee. You should have a name too. Maybe it'll help you get the hang of them." He shrugged.

"I see, Five-S. Perhaps we should go to the archives? Having something to read might lower your blood pressure." Azee chirped optimistically.

"See? You're getting the hang of it." Fives said. "Fine, but you tell me right away if you hear anything about Tup, okay?"

"Certainly. The archives are this way!" Azee hovered over to the right, pleased to have a task again.

"I know. I used to live here, remember?"

"Oh, yes." Azee hovered back behind him, arms drooping at his sides.

They arrived at the archives a few minutes later, and they were exactly as Fives remembered them-sterile, cold, and as quiet as a tomb. There was a reason I never liked studying. It was deserted save for a clone dressed in a red cadet uniform that had followed him in. Fives nodded briefly to him and turned his attention to the seemingly endless array of regulation manuals and biochemistry books that the Kaminoans considered appropriate reading.

"What should I read Azee? Everything they already drilled into my head or something I've got no hope of ever understanding?"

"You're rather bright for a clone, you should try Tei Ro's essays on Repeat Tandem genes. They're my favorite." Azee suggested. Fives glared at him. "Oh, that was rude, wasn't it?"

"Yes. You've got no bedside man-OW!" Even through his armor, the force of the cadet plowing into him still hurt. The cadet yelped, dropped the datapad he was carrying, and bolted for the door. Fives got just the briefest glimpse of him, and he could have sworn that there he knew his face, but the cadet vanished before he could stop him.

"Hey! You dropped your-" Fives called after him, picking up the datapad, but stopped when he saw the screen. The document on it was banded at the top with the yellow-and black bars that indicated it was top security. He'd seen it before on war plans and encrypted transmissions. Skywalker wasn't all that great at keeping secrets secret.

"The Placement and Purpose of Protocol ZZ Command Chips, Master Copy." it read. Fives suspected that the 'ZZ' was really a number someone had edited out for some reason, but he read the top of it , then scrolled down, and scrolled some more… He looked over his shoulder at a Kaminoan entering from the other end of the hall and tried to walk as casually as possible to a more secluded place.

"What is that? Where are you going?" Azee asked.

"Something important. I'll need your help reading it though. In private. Now act casual."

"I could whistle!" Said Azee, eager to use that particular section of his programming.

"No whistling!" Fives hissed. But it was too late. Azee was proudly whistling the Anthem of the Republic and doing a terrible job of it. Fives held the datapad to his chest so nobody could see the screen. He made his way back to where Tup was being kept, running as he heard the sound of raised voices within.

"He needs to be sedated to prevent him from hurting someone!" He recognized the voice as that of Tuan We.

"I know what barbiturates look like-that's a lethal overdose! Leave!" Shaak Ti shouted back. Hearing that, Fives slammed on the control panel to find it locked.

"He's in pain."

"You're going to kill him!"

Fives ran at the door, slamming into it loudly.

"What was that?"

"Get. Out." Snarled Shaak Ti.

Fives pulled out his blaster and shot the control panel instead, and the door whooshed open. Inside, Tuan We towered over the Jedi and Tup holding a syringe of menacing red liquid. Shaak Ti had backed Tup into the corner and stood between him and Tuan We, hand on the hilt of her lightsaber. Tup was whimpering and convulsing in pain, knuckles white as he clenched his fists. Raw instinct surged through Fives and he acted on it without hesitation.

**CRACK.**

He hadn't realized just how satisfying decking Tuan We would be. If he had realized how good the feeling of her cheekbone cracking under his knuckles would feel, he would have done it ages ago. He watched her collapse to the floor and suddenly was flooded with guilt. She was the closest thing to a parent he had and now he'd committed a terrible act of violence against her…

"You did the right thing." Shaak Ti squeezed his shoulder. She stepped past him and out into the hall to face everyone who'd come running to the sound of the shot.  
"Everything is under control. Go back to you jobs." She waved her hand at them, voice somehow more… commanding than usual. Even if they didn't fall for the mind trick, nobody was going to refuse a direct order from her, and the assembled clones and Kaminoans shuffled off. She stepped back in and closed the door behind her, sighed deeply and leaned back against it.

"Thank you. If I'd drawn my weapon against her, I would have caused a major debacle, possibly another war. You've found something?" She pointed at the datapad.

"Er, I think so, but I can't make much sense of most of it. These diagrams though-" he pulled up a hologram showing the brain of a clone, with a small section of it highlighted. The lump was directly where Tup's fracture was.

"Azee? Could you translate?" Asked the Jedi, putting her hands on Tup's chest and concentrating. He stopped his quiet cries and relaxed his hands, breathing slower and more easily. Fives stood beside her and took his hand, giving Tup a gentle squeeze.

"According to this, the Kaminoans have implanted bio-chips into the brains of every clone to control their behavior with certain audio triggers, re-enforced with subconscious conditioning. The implants are located in the side of the head, and if my scans are correct, Tup's seems to be rapidly deteriorating." Said Azee.

"That would explain the nightmares and why he keeps repeating that he has to follow orders. If the implant is failing, my healing energy won't do much good for him. He needs better help than what I can give him. Can you get it out?" She asked, looking up at Azee.

"Under normal circumstances, certainly, but since he has several fractures over the afflicted area, I'm afraid that is out of the scope of my abilities." He explained, knitting his fingers nervously. "However… No, it's not a good idea." 

"What?" Fives asked as Shaak Ti moved her hands up to Tup's head, cradling him. He called out in pain again, covered in sweat.

"Shh, You're going to be all right." she whispered to him, stroking the side of his face. He gasped and relaxed again, mumbling incoherently. _Jedi healing energy_ , Fives realized. _That stuff works miracles. He must really be in bad shape if it's wearing off so fast._

"There is another droid I know with the necessary expertise. I met them when I was being programmed at my factory. He was there to sell some of his programming, letting them copy the necessary bits. It was cheaper and produced better code, but it wasn't, er, legal. In fact, he himself is illegal." Azee haltingly explained.

"How would a droid be illegal? He a clanker or something?" Fives couldn't figure out whether to keep his eyes on Tup or the droid.

"No, he's a medical droid like me- it's just that he's more than a century overdue for a memory wipe and the Republic considers such droids to be a public menace. Funny ideas about autonomy and suchlike. Though I suppose that if I keep talking to you, I'm going to be illegal as well…"

"We're past the point of legality, we need to keep him alive, both on general principle and to preserve evidence. Where did you find this?" She turned to Fives.

"A cadet ran into me in the archives and dropped it. He looked familiar but I couldn't tell who it was." 

Shaak looked slightly pained. "That's thin evidence then. It could be faked, but we need to study it more. I'll get the document to the Temple. I don't think the temple healers can do a better job than I am, so he needs to get you your friend Azee. Without the Kaminoans being able to trace you." Tup raised a hand, wobbling, and she took it. "There, I'll stay here. Make a distraction and take my ship. I'll make sure you get out and that the document is transferred to the temple."

Azee interrupted."Er, there's another complication- he lives on Coruscant. I think." 

"You think?" She asked, liking the plan less and less.

"I'd have to look him up. That would set off every alarm in the place-he poached quite bit of data during the early days of cloning, so his name is blacklisted. But there is nobody else in the galaxy who knows more about this kind of operation and after the theft, he's probably an expert on clones as well."

"Look him up. I'll keep everyone busy." Fives stood up.

"I'll be deactivated if I'm seen!"

"Leave that to me." Fives smirked. He turned back to his shivering brother.

"It'll be okay Tup, we're going to find a doc for you." Shaak released his hand so Fives could give it a gentle squeeze. Tup squeezed weakly back. Or maybe he was still twitching.  
"Master Ti, If you could stay with him until the signal goes off, I'll come back to get him to your ship. They won't notice you leaving with the datapad. Azee, start making your way to the archives, and when you hear the signal, go for the data. Nobody will stop you. Act casual and NO WHISTLING."

"What signal?" She asked.

"You'll hear it. Okay, time to move out." he told himself, more than to anyone else.

Fives exited the room with the military posture drilled into all clones, Azee hovering out behind him, whistling anyway. Fives rolled his eyes and walked down the hall, turning several corners with unnatural precision. Anywhere else in the galaxy he would have stuck out like a broken thumb, but here it made him practically invisible. He stepped into an elevator and Azee peeled off toward the archives.

"Just hang on a little longer Tup…" he muttered.

Finally, he got to the highest floor the elevator would take him to, the roof of the cloning facility.

Fives glared up at his target at the top of the spire that capped the city. The wind howled around him, and his visor was spattered with droplets of water swept up from the ocean. Everything was slick and parts were beginning to rust. He grabbed on to the railing of a small access ladder and looked at the view around him. The sun was setting, casting a rare orange light through the storm clouds. A large anvil-shaped thunderhead was building off to the south and would probably hit the city within the hour. _Better get going._ He turned and squinted up at his target.

"How is anyone supposed to do maintenance with that thing all the way up there?" He gritted his teeth and climbed up the small ladder with the too-large gaps in the steps- _must be meant for Kaminoans_. The clone pulled himself heavily on to the small platform, and opened a plain gray electrical box. 

"Okay, so this wire goes here, and I weave those two- Ow!" He shook his hand as he got a minor zap- "Where's Artoo when you need him?- Right, these switches are for power tests, weather tracking, ah! Emergency alerts… Just set these to go off, and then these, then these… Thanks for the idea, General Skywalker. Right. Gotta get down before I have to cover my ears." He said, connecting the final wires into the device's internal clock. He quickly slid back down the ladder, grateful he was wearing gloves. He was nearly to the elevator when-

**wwwrrrrRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUU-**

The Tsunami Alarm.

"WOW that thing is loud from up here!" He covered his ears even inside the elevator. He'd heard it tested before when he was in the bunks and it was deafening then, but here it felt like his brain was being melted. 

**wwwrrrrRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUU-**

The elevator opened up to chaos. Well, relative chaos. Real chaos was what civvies did. Clones were a little more level-headed but it threw everyone when a tsunami was allegedly going to hit the city in less than an hour. Clones ran in every direction, but in an orderly fashion, keeping to the appropriate side of the hall. Fives joined the nearest line and ran back to his friends.

"Good signal, I can definitely hear it." Shaak Ti winced, covering her montrals. Fives looked down and found Tuan We firmly bound with mesh tape and stuffed into a closet. Shaak Ti kicked the door closed, grabbed the datapad and tucked it into her robe as he grabbed the gurney. Fives felt her hand on his shoulder.

"We'll re-convene on Coruscant as soon as he's well. May the Force be with you."

"Yes sir." Fives nodded.

**wwwrrrrRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUU-**

Fives took Tup's gurney and pushed him out the door nearly tripping three medics. He pushed his way through various lines, hoping that in the chaos nobody would notice that he was taking Tup in exactly the wrong direction. Unfortunately, someone did.

"Stop! Stop them!" Prime Minister Lama Su shouted, pointing at him over the crowd. The clones simultaneously followed his finger and stared at them.

**wwwrrrrRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUU-**

"Kark it." Fives decided, putting his head down and his back into what he was about to do next. "Sorry guys." He said, taking off like a runner from a starting block. He used the gurney to ram his way through his brothers, wincing in sympathy. The tactic worked and they parted for him, a sense of self-preservation briefly overwhelming the Kaminoan's orders. He rocketed down the halls, shouting at the others to _get out of the way, emergency, coming through_ and he felt like he was making good progress until he glanced over his shoulder and found a security troop bearing down on him at alarming speed.

"Kriff. Hang on Tup!" Fived put every ounce of energy he had into running for the hangar, ramming into more brothers in a last-ditch effort. Much to his surprise, it worked.

**wwwrrrrRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUU-CLICK. ALERT, ALERT. THE SIGNAL IS FAKE CAPTURE UNIT 5555 IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I REPEAT-**

"Stop!" Lama Su had gotten ahead of him running on his long legs through a parallel route and was standing in the middle of the hall, using the same commanding tone Fives had been drilled with since birth. Normally it would have stopped him dead but with the way Tup was crying and what he'd read-

"This one's for you Tup." He said and inhaled deeply, concentrated on his aim, and plowed directly into and over the minister. The sensation of his boot squishing into his face was particularly pleasing. 

The security stopped to make sure the Prime Minister was alright, allowing him to increase the distance between them, though it wasn't much. Soon he was in the hangar. It was much to his relief when he saw Azee bobbing nervously in front of the only ship in the hangar.

"Five-S! I have found my friend!" Aze waved happily.

"Plug his coordinates into the hyperdrive computer, we're blasting out of here." He bolted up the ramp and hastily secured Tup in the small cargo area.

"Yessir." The droid turned to the computer as Fives closed the boarding ramp, leapt into the cockpit and fired up the engines. He peeked out the windows to see the battered-looking minister shouting up at him. The hovering mess of evacuating vehicles was easy enough to dart between without incident, especially since everyone had reason to believe Shaak Ti was inside. The reports to stop him were just crackling over the comms before they jumped to hyperspace.

"We should arrive in 24 hours. Until then, I will tend to Tup to the best of my ability."

"Thanks Azee, you're a real friend." He got up from the captain's chair and darted back to his brother. Tup was still pale and he was panting heavily, but he felt less clammy and he wasn't repeating that awful thing over and over. A pale blue light passed over him as Azee scanned him.

"The fracture of his skull doesn't seem to have caused a hemorrhage, but he should be stabilized to avoid any further damage. If his chip continues to degenerate, he may be in trouble, but for now, his condition is stable. I'll locate the ship's medical kit and start giving him fluids. My probability programming indicates that he has a better that 50% chance of making it to Coruscant. Jedi healing capabilities are quite extraordinary."

"Coruscant? The rest of the 501st will be there! If we all have a chip, I have to warn them!"

"What you need to do, Five-S, is to get some sleep. You have had a fatiguing few weeks and will be no good to Tup if you can't stay awake when we get there." The droid lectured him as he pulled the medical kit out of a cupboard and brought it over.

"Getting a little bossy there Azee." Fives slumped into a nearby chair, watching Tup.

"I am also responsible for your care Five-S, and it's my medical opinion that you get some rest. I will wake you if something happens."

Fives huffed in amusement at the droid's over-emphasis of his name, leaned back in the overstuffed chair and took his advice.

*

**Above a CIS airbase, Cato Nemodia**

Wolffe really hated flying.

'Hate" was a very strong word, and General Plo frequently got on his case about its use, but the commander thought it really was the word to use as he dodged the flaming shrapnel of a wrecked vulture droid. If he didn't get hit or crash, he was going to get killed by his own men. The first option looked increasingly likely as three red dots appeared on his radar behind him. _Kriff, Honing missiles._

"Spinning's a good trick." he muttered, going into a wide barrel roll and narrowly missing the first missile. They were short on men after having to run a ground assault to the CIS main base of operations-"ground" being something of a relative term on the swampy planet. Bug-infested bog assault more like. Thankfully, most of his men were only injured. There were supposed to be re-enforcements coming, but they were only locals, not a real army.

The remaining two missiles were closing in, too close to brake and nail them from behind.

"Anyone want to get these off me?" he snarled into the comm, knuckles white and heart pounding in his ears.

"On it!" an unfamiliar voice shouted, and suddenly the two dots on his tail were no more, blasted from above. Half a second later, something screamed past behind him, barely missing his rear thruster, firing heavily but remarkably precisely at the CIS airtower below them.

For a moment Wolffe thought it might be Skywalker, but according to Rex, he didn't pull out of tight dives like that as well as he thought he did, and definitely wouldn't be caught dead in a bright blue fighter with what looked like flowers painted around the local Navy's insignia.

The blue fighter barked orders rapid-fire in what might have been basic but with such a heavy accent it might as well have been Aleena to Wolffe. But the other blue fighters understood him, and ripped into the vulture droids at frankly appalling speed.

Unfortunately for Wolffe, that meant further debris flying in front of him, and a lose buzz droid smacked into his windshield. Worse still, it hadn't been damaged by the impact, and immediately set to work disabling his R-4 unit.

"KARK!" He swore as the astromech burst into flames and he began to nosedive. The ground of Cato Nemodia was swampy and mostly marsh, but it was not going to be a soft landing. The screaming of his forward thrusters maxing out covered his own.

"BRACE YERSELF!" The unfamiliar voice shouted. Wolffe moved to brace himself but half a second later a tether cable slammed into his fighter, jerking him backwards. 

"Ugh!" He was thrown back against his seat, slamming the back of his head. _KARK! Thank the force for buckets, but that hurt like hell._ The ground was still frighteningly close, but approaching not nearly so fast. Dazed, he distantly realized that the skies had gotten much quieter. Looking out the hatch, he could tell the locals had made short work of the vulture droids and were landing below. With an amazing amount of delicacy, the blue fighter set Wolffe's ship down before landing himself. Wolffe was mostly successful in his effort to not stumble out and puke. Plo jogged up to him and gently took his shoulder.

"Are you all right?" He peered down at Wolffe through his goggles. Wolffe nodded and the General patted his back, relieved. The clone straightened up and assumed his rank of commander again. The hatch of the blue fighter popped open and a husky Duro with a broad, gleaming grin leapt out and strode toward them. 

"That was 'xciting, wasn't it? Commander Axton Fras, 108th White Rose flight. General Plo and Commander Wolffe right?" he offered a ham of a hand, which Plo took, and the Jedi nearly had his arm shaken off.

"White Rose Flight?" Wolffe asked, ears ringing. _Something is amiss._

"We get or designations based on old radio codes." Axton shrugged, not taking an ounce of offense.. "Nothing badass like The Wolfpack, but The Rose beats the hell outta our 501st. They got The Electric Strawberries." Wolffe snorted. He'd have to tease Rex later. Looking around as the rest of the flight landed, Wolffe saw that the rest of the fighters were all named something flower-themed. Commander Axton's ship was The Honeysuckle Rose. _To be fair, all the Wolfpack's fighters are named things like Fang or Remus. Heck, 'Wolves and Roses' is a pretty good name for a band. Wow, must've hit my head pretty hard._ He caught himself weaving a bit.

"Sir, I think I- My head's a little funny-" he tried to articulate, tripping over his tongue. _Yep, it's a concussion._

"Get to the medical tent. " Plo ordered him. Wolffe saluted and turned towards where he was pretty sure the medical tent was. He found it eventually, and was greeted with an awful sight- 

Someone had brought along a protocol droid. 

"Hello, my name is R-552. How may I help you?" It asked. Nothing in a medical tent has the right to be that chipper.

"I have a concussion!" he shouted over the droid to Saw, the medic. Saw got up from the task of filling up syringes with painkillers and stimulants to take a look at him.

"Follow my finger." He said and Wolffe tried his best, but he could feel his gaze wobbling and the medic's finger had this bad habit of going in and out of focus…

"Yep. Concussion again. You know the drill. Siddown, one painkiller, fluids, no going to sleep."

"Yeah, yeah." Wolffe found a not-totally swampy patch of ground by a rock, downed the pill and put his head back. _Damned nuisance, brain trauma._

"Sir, if I may be of any assistance at all-" Speaking of nuisances, the droid was back. "Perhaps I could get you more water or offer conversation? I have over six million narratives-" The lights in its eyes abruptly died and it slumped over. Axton appeared behind it, holding it's powercell. He tossed it to Wolffe, who missed it by a good six inches.

"Whacked yerself pretty good didn't ya? Nothin' serious right?" 

"Just a concussion. Thanks." Wolffe said, groping for the battery. 

"Mind if I pull up a patch too? Long flight from Duro." Axton pointed at the dry-ish patch next to him. Wolffe shuffled a bit to the side. The commander plopped down next to him and Wolffe finally got a good look at him. He had ditched his helmet and flight suit in favor of a cape and worn leather hat with a wide brim and several metal piercings-what was it with Duros and ostentatious hats? He was older too- crow's feet, laugh lines and pronounced knuckles. Axton glanced around the tent before leaning over conspiratorially.

"Not much for flying, are ya?" He asked. Wolffe shrugged, trying not to move his head too much. 

"It's all right. I get spacesick something rotten on those large cruisers. Guess it's because I can't feel us moving. " Axton reached into his cape and pulled out a flask of something that smelled like 100-proof or better. "Want some for yer nerves?"

"He has a concussion, and is to stick strictly to clear fluids." Plo sternly reminded the commander.

"Whiskey's a clear fluid!" Axton defended himself, but re-capped the flask and slipped it back into his cape.

"And what happened to this droid?" Plo poked the inactive droid and it collapsed into the squishy ground.

"He was bein' unhelpful." Wolffe explained, slightly giddy. He picked up the power cell and waved it.

"I helped." Axton waved his hand between them.

"Now there are two of them." Plo muttered. "If you could please stop trying to give my commander a major drug reaction, we should review our next maneuvers."

"Yessir. Just tryin' to make him feel better.

"I see." Plo sat down on Wolffe's other side and opened a holomap of the nearby systems. " If your flight is to stay with us, our next front appears to be Scippio. Count Dooku has been sighted there with a covey of elite droids. He's clearly up to something, but he's traveling with minimal guard this time. We may have a shot at capturing him-"

Wolffe leaned his head back and listened as they talked tactics. It was much better than listening to the protocol droid prattling on.

*

**The Resolute Cruiser, Outer Rim Fueling Station.**

"It's not bad news. Not really. Sounds like they just need to talk." Rex spoke to himself. The Resolute had stopped to re-fuel before delivering Admiral Trench to Coruscant for trial. Ahsoka needed him to pass on her message but- Skywalker was repairing the Twilight again. There didn't need to be a repeat of the last time he talked to the general when he was in a 'fixing' mood. The captain put his helmet on as a precautionary measure and peeked into the hangar.

He looked like might actually be fixing the Twilight this time. _Sure, the thrusters are out on the floor again, but he's also putting pieces back in. Probably coming off that high he gets during a good fight. It's okay._

Rex carefully walked up to him, waving at Artoo, who beeped loudly and prodded Skywalker in the shoulder. The general looked up from the thruster, face smeared with grease.

"Rex?"

"Sir, I just got a message from Senator Amidala. She requests you call her immediately. In private. It's something of an emergency." He kept his voice low, wary of the shinies working around them.

"WHAT?" Anakin shouted, always one for subtlety. He dropped the hydrospanner with a loud clang and bolted off for his quarters, nearly plowing down two of the shinies who were walking in.

Rex stood by Artoo and watched him go. There was a tapping on his leg and he looked down to see Artoo peering up at him.

"Bwoop?"

"Oh that's right. You used to be her droid." Rex remembered. "No she's fine- it's more of a relationship emergency I think."

"Bweep boo." said artoo, sounding relieved.

"Funny though, for her to contact him through me and Ahsoka. Must be something serious. I mean it's obvious they- well, the way he looks at her, he drops everything when she calls, actually listens to her… And she's always requesting him for missions, lets him stay over at her place." he speculated to the droid. 

Artoo rocked back and forth in agreement. _He probably knows even more than I do. Hm. Lovers… emergency… emergency…_

_Oh._

_**OH.** _

Rex had to duck down and cover his mouth under his helmet. _This IS very serious. He'll probably get kicked out of the order, she'll have to deal with the scandal, I'll get re-assigned-_ he shuddered at that last thought, but it was quickly replaced by another- a tiny Skywalker, bumbling around and causing trouble. He began to laugh. _It'll work out. One way or another. His thoughts turned over what the baby might be like-as much of a hellion as Anakin can be, Padme's even worse. Anakin only charges into battle with no plan and occasionally loses a limb. Padme's involved in **politics**. Hell, a kid won't even slow her down. _

Almost on cue, Anakin came flying back into the hangar, barely skidding to a halt in front of Rex. He grabbed the captain's shoulders and shook him vigorously, making Rex rattle in his armor.

"Twilight! Naboo! Now!" He gasped, eyes wide but thankfully still blue.

"Yessir!" 

"You're coming! She said to bring you!"

"Yessir!"

"Get-get-get stuff!" Anakin finally let go of him, turning his attention to the disassembled thrusters.

"Yessir!" Rex saluted.

"Kriff, why did I take these out?" Anakin began working on the thrusters again, putting them back together at an amazing clip. Rex jogged back to his bunk and began packing for Naboo. Halfway through rolling up a spare undersuit, another thought occurred to him and he had to sit down, shoulders shaking laughter. It was a very serious situation, certainly, but the image was just so-

_What if they're expecting TWINS?_

*

**Tipoca City cloning facility, North Wing sanitation room #77.**

In a deserted closet, the scar-faced clone changed out of the cadet's uniform and back into his custodial gear. He pulled out his contraband datapad and checked his messages. He'd gone in for re-conditioning a few weeks before and the Kaminoans thought he had broken immediately and was now fit for sanitation duty. But the brainwashing they'd put him through-even lasering his tattoo off his face to erase his identity-was nothing compared to dealing with Krell. Dogma's memory was patchy in that regard, but that was probably for the best. 

He'd been cleaning out a spare closest when he found the datapad wedged behind a shelf. Judging from the enormous amount of dust and pornography on it, he suspected it used to belong to a cadet who had been shipped out ages ago. A little fiddling and he got it connected to the Holonet. He couldn't really talk to anyone here, and he was mostly ignored anyway, so it was a great relief for him to make friends in the undernet. 

It didn't take long for him to meet a rather peculiar person named Mau who knew an awful lot about Kamino, right down to the spots on Lama Su's nose. His new friend had put him onto the scent of a hidden plot behind the army and suggested a few places to look, and they could do something to get him out of Tipoca in exchange. The documents had been hidden right next to where Mau had said they might be, and while Dogma couldn't make out their meaning, much less make a secured upload to his friend, they assured him that if he could get the document to Coruscant, they would be able to get a hold of it.

It seemed like a miracle when Fives turned up with a sick clone- he wasn't sure who-Dogma had only seen him come out a medical room, followed by a droid. He bolted to his closet, changed into a spare cadet's uniform, and surreptitiously followed his friend to the archives before dropping it for him. Fives was maybe a bit dense, but even he would know that it needed to be taken to the Jedi. Mau knew that the document existed and was keen to get his paws on it, and had plans to get it from the Jedi. Force knew how, but if he knew every last detail about Kamino, he probably knew the Jedi even better.

 _Did it work?_ Mau waiting for him. His avatar was a picture of a small black feline, grinning conspiratorially back at him.

 _He set the Tsunami Alarm off and booked it for the Jedi's cruiser, so I think so._ He replied. 

_Good. I'll be able to see what's going on. You might have saved many lives doing this._ Said the cat.

Dogma typed back. _I'm not too pleased with them putting a chip in my head, even if it's to kill Jedi._

 _Not everyone is Pong Krell._ Mau replied. _I'll try to get you out of there as soon as possible. Just sit tight and keep quiet for now._

_Yes sir._

_And stop calling me that. I'm not your commander or anything. I've got to go make preparations. Until then?_

_Until then , sir._

*

**Jedi Archives, Jedi Temple, Coruscant**

"Making friends?" Madame Jocasta peered over Master Windu's shoulder.

"A great many, actually. The Undernet is a much friendlier place than popular media would have you to believe. This lady"-he gestured to an avatar of a heavily armored and menacing-looking warrior- "Runs online games with her friends and has invited me to join her."

"It's good to see you being social again. You've been so buried in work." Jocasta patted his shoulder.

"She also builds illicit dataspikes and likes to bicker with me about the suspension of elections and other restrictions on citizens' rights during wartime. I've been looking into the more obscure portions of Palpatine's wartime powers on her advice." He continued. Jocasta stopped mid pat, wondering about his judgment in meeting people he couldn't actually see.

"This young person-" He continued, pointing to an avatar of some sort of lizard. "-they haven't specified a gender, but they're very concerned about the specifics of Jedi Policies in relation to the ecology of the galaxy. They way they speak, I wonder if they can see the Living Force."

"They weren't picked up by the Jedi? That's impossible!"

"I'm finding a great deal of seemingly impossible things are quite commonplace in the hidden corners of the galaxy." Her arched an eyebrow up at her.

"This man…" He gestured to a profile with the default icon of the chatsite. "I can't quite figure out his game. He's furious at everyone-the Jedi, The Senate, the CIS- even Black Sun and the Hutts-But it's not the raw fury I usually see. He's careful, patient, and doesn't hesitate when he has an opening. It's very well-managed fury. I'm keeping an eye on him.

It's a bit of a time-suck, but having such disparate opinions- I feel more clear-headed. It's easier for me to see things- both here and in the Force." He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers and studying the screen. 

"I feel- things are in the wind, as it were. The Force is shifting, not just between the Light and Dark, but currents between people and places are changing as well. For the last few years, it has felt like an inevitable march towards darkness, but now-" he looked up from the screen and far into the distance, into the Force.

"Things are coming. Great and terrible things."

"Master Windu?" His comm crackled at him and the image of the Rodian Acolyte that worked the communications center appeared. "Master Ti has sent an urgent message that she's left her post on Kamino to come to you with… evidence?" He said.

"I will meet her as soon as she arrives." Mace said firmly. "Speak of this to no one."

"Yes Master." the Rodian bowed out.

"Evidence?" Madame Jocasta asked. "Evidence of what?"

"Great and terrible things."


	6. Chapter Six:  In Which Rex Learns Important Biological Facts And A Mountain Goes Kablooie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the 2-and-a-half-month hiatus there guys! It was finals season and then I was sick nearly all of December. But I'm back, and I've got two chapters for you! Hope you enjoy them!

**HYPERSPACE, VERY CLOSE TO CORUSCANT**

"Five-S!" Azee hovered close to the clone. "We have arrived! But I am incapable of piloting the ship."

The one named 'Tup' was in a nearly workable condition-a constant stream of saline riddled with nutrients and anti-inflammatory drugs seemed to have stabilized him, and there was no sign of internal bleeding. The clones had been bred to be hardy; Jango was on the short list of potential candidates due to his ability to shake poisons and in one case, walk off a broken leg. The clones had then been given further 'enhancements' but this was beyond the scale of what Azee's circuits had been able to calculate. Then again, droids weren't programmed for imagination.

The condition of Five-S was beginning to get rather worrisome. Despite Azee's calling, he hadn't woken up, and they would be out of hyperspace any second now. He'd slept fitfully and probably hadn't gotten adequate rest. Clones were hardy, but any human would crumple after a long period without sufficient sleep. It was a rather burdensome design flaw-all Azee had to do was plug into a wall socket for a few minutes.

"Five-S! We are here and I cannot pilot the ship!" He reached out and shook the clone's shoulder. He blinked his eyes open and squinted at the droid, trying to get his bearings.

"Tup?" He asked, getting up and walking over to his friend.

"He is in a stable condition-I believe we can move him without significant risk, but I need you to pilot the ship," Azee waved his little hands at the cockpit.

"Yeah, yeah." Fives waved back. He looked down at Tup, breathing peacefully under the mask. _It's been, er-_ he looked up at the chrono on the wall- _kriff, almost two days since he cracked his head open._

"Five-S!" Azee whined from the cockpit. 

"Exiting hyperspace in five, four-" the hyperdrive alerted them.

"Kriff!" he jumped quickly back into the captain's chair- thank goodness this ship was so small- right as the ship cracked back into realspace. Fives had to swerve a bit to avoid a tiberian freighter, but the sky over the city-planet was not so busy, As they had emerged on the night-side of the planet.

Flight control crackled over the comm immediately. "Ship JC-42205, What is your code, cargo and destination?" 

"Uh-" Fives began.

"Our code is 78892-FJFJP-Q12, out cargo is two civilians and a droid, our destination is the 8890 block."

"Prepare for scanning, do not alter your course," flight control replied.

"I looked up all the codes and clearances on the undernet while you were sleeping." Azee said smugly. "I'm getting good at this undercover stuff." 

"Don't get cocky." Fives muttered, gripping the steering controller tightly. _C'mon, C'mon-_

"You're cleared for approach. Please continue," flight control finally replied. Fives exhaled deeply and tried his best to keep at the speed limit rather than diving towards the surface. It was tricky- He'd never been trained to obey traffic laws. Fortunately they were in a Jedi cruiser, and people were inclined to get out of the way and not ask questions. He only got honked at maybe thirty times before they got to the hangar as the block where the medical droid lived. Block 8890 was on the upper limits of the underbelly.

Someone at weathernet must have a sadistic streak because it was pouring rain, a dangerous prospect for those on the lowest levels, where water would pool and potentially flood. As they descended to a public hangar, Fives looked out the cockpit and noted with some surprise that they were only a mile or so from the senate building.

"Your friend live far from here?" Fives asked as they landed. The rain glimmered in the flashing neons and ship-sized billboards. People moved in the shadows, going about their business, whatever that might be at this hour, but their indistinct shapes still bothered him. Coruscant at night was eerily like Umbara in some respects.

"Only four micro blocks east and seventeen down. There is an elevator nearby that will take us down to the appropriate level, but we'll have to walk the rest of the way."

"Tup can't be in the rain, and it's probably better if people don't know I'm with the GAR. Hang on a minute." Fives opened a storage unit and was relieved to find that Shaak Ti had left a spare robe in there. She'd also left a skirt, but that didn't seem appropriate for him to borrow. He unbuckled his armor-too conspicuous-and pulled the robe on. He peeked out of the ship's hatch and found what he was looking for- a stack of long storage containers big enough to smuggle both Tup and Azee. He strode over to a nearby counter, doing his best to swagger in the overconfident way Skywalker did. 

A bored-looking Ithronian looked up from his datapad Fives approached.

"Jedi business again?" He sighed in annoyance.

"Wha-Yes." Fives stumbled a bit.

"Fine, fine, take whatever you need, no mind tricks necessary this time. Just make sure the Temple sends the credits out soon this time, okay?" the Ithronian waved at him dismissively.

"Yeah, sure," Fives replied, hardly able to believe his luck. "I'll get on Master Tiplar's case for you," he added. He grabbed one of the containers, activated the hover switch and pushed it back to the ship.

"Brilliant!" Azee said as they pushed Tup's stretcher into the container. Azee followed him inside, holding up the IV bag. "I knew you'd think of something!"

"You gonna be okay in there?" Fives asked before closing the crate.

"I have every confidence in you. Just follow the directions on your comm and let me out to talk to M0-RT when we get there. I will see to your friend," Azee gazed up him in a robotic expression of admiration. Fives shut the case, pulled the robe close and pushed it out of the ship, heading into the winding alleys of the underbelly

One thing Fives never quite got used to on Coruscant was the smell. Most planets smelled like oceans or plants or pollution: Coruscant smelled like food. Hundreds of stalls and carts and even repurposed freight speeders crammed together in the tight alleys between factories and office buildings, offering their wares. At this hour, they were all in the midst of cooking, the air was thick with spices and baking goods and rendering fat. Fives's stomach audibly growled as he remembered how little he had had by ways of food over the last few days. 

Eventually, he found his way to a small door wedged in between a Lothalian takeout place and a Chrono-repair shop in a side alley of a side alley deep into the block. He glanced around-the area was deserted save for a few rodents digging around in the garbage- and opened the crate to let Azee out.

"I didn't want to say my firend's name on Kamino, there were too many listening. But he's a-well, he's definitely a medical droid, after a fashion. His name is M0-RT. He should be expecting us." Azee floated up to the door and gave a loud knock. A viewing camera popped out of a hatch in the door and sized them up.

"What's the password?" A mechanical voice interrogated them.

"011100110111011101101111011100100110010001100110011010010111001101101000?" Azee rattled off with some uncertainty. The camera withdrew into its hatch and the door slid open into a small plain duracrete antechamber with two benches on either side, barely big enough to fit the crate into. The inner door opened and the most bizarre-looking droid the clone had ever seen stepped in.

Fives recognized parts form half a dozen different makes of droid, and the rest of it appeared to be made of several more. The droid trotted closer on four non-matching animal-like legs and chest chassis from an old-model rough terrain carrier droid, diminutive ancestor to the walker. Attached where the head of the small walker would have been was another chest chassis with half a dozen arms emerging from it, two extending behind it, one clearly from a protocol droid. It looked something like the lightsaber-assembling droid former-commander Tano has described to him. The head looked like a repurposed swoop-bike helmet with a wide array of sensors haphazardly attached, some even with mesh-tape. Fives had heard tales of a mythical creatures called chimeras and centaurs from General Kenobi. He'd assumed that they were only fairy-tales the master had spun up to pass time on long hyperspace fights, but he was beginning to wonder now.

"Azee? You're a long way from home. And you've brought friends." The chimera observed, his voice remarkably soothing. A pair of eyes appeared in the helmet's digital display, blinking smoothly and expressively. He moved gracefully as well. Perhaps he was more well-put together than he looked.

"M0-RT, this is Five-S, and on the gurney is Tup. He's had a skull fracture and what appears to be a malfunctioning and possibly necrotizing brain implant," Azee explained.

"Bring him in, I'll scan him and see what I can do." M0-RT said, blinking down at the glassy-eyed clone. Fives blinked in surprise- The interior rivaled even Kamino's medical centers, full of all manner of equipment and medicine, and was better lit to boot. M0-RT and Azee pushed Tup into the center off the room, the senior medic took his vitals and Azee turned on a ring half a meter in diameter and used it to scan Tup's head. A hologram of his skull and brain appeared above him and the droids studied it intently.

"I was afraid something like this might happen," M0-RT gave an electronic sigh.

"The fractured section in still resting on the brain membrane, and doesn't seem to be hemorrhaging, which is why he's still alive," Azee explained, pointing at the hologram.

"When did the injury take place?" M0-RT placed his many hands under a germ-killing UV light.

"Almost 48 hours ago-" Azee had gone into full medical-bot mode and didn't seem to be too worried about the words coming out of M0-RT's audiobox.

"What do you mean, you were afraid something like this would happen?" Fives asked, sizing the droid up. 

"When I was selling programming to Azee's manufactures I.. acquired a significant amount of data from the Kaminoans to expand my database in the probable event I would have to treat clones such as yourself. There were mentions of neural implants, but I was unable to determine their purpose-"

"Good soldiers follow orders…" Tup muttered, beginning to wake up again. 

"-I'm going to assume that you have a better idea of what they're for." 

"They… When Tup's went haywire, he started saying that and 'Kill The Jedi' over and over and next thing we knew, his head was like this. I think he did it to himself. It was like he was in a trance or something. We looked it up on the Kaminoan's archives, every single clone has got one, even the infants."

"Behavioral Triggers. In the auditory centers of the brain… Interesting." M0-RT turned back to the hologram.

" _Interesting?_ " Fives asked incredulously.

"I do not mean to be rude, but dispassionate reason is best in cases of emergency," M0-RT said, still studying Tup. He turned to face Azee. "I believe removal is possible, but it will be complicated. The fracture may prove to be advantageous- we won't have to cut into the skull, but re-attachment will be difficult. And I'm not certain what effects removal will have on him."

"Will he make it?"

"He's made it 48 hours with a severe head injury, you're made of tough stuff. However, I cannot offer you odds on his survival. If it is any comfort, if he dies on the table, it will be painless." M0-RT spoke flatly, but there was a kindness to his manner that Azee had not quite learned. "The surgery will be distressing to watch, so I suggest you come say anything you need to him and wait outside." 

Fives nodded and stepped up, taking his brother's hand. He gently reached out and stroked a stray lock of hair away from his eyes.

"You're gonna be okay. These guys are gonna get that thing out of your head and you'll feel all better. Might have to shave your head though. I'll watch you grow it back out, okay? Stick with me." He spoke softly, lightly touching his cheek. Tup cracked his eyes open and his mouth twitched in an attempt of a smile. Fives looked up and saw M0-RT fill a large syringe with something bright blue. The droid carefully inserted the needle into Tup's other arm, and Fives felt him go limp, eyes closing. He let go and stood back up, biting his lip and fighting the burning in his eyes. He felt something squeeze his shoulder and looked up at M0-RT.

"I can assure you that we will do our best."

"Thanks," Fives said, looking down at his brother one last time before turning and stepping into the antechamber as the droids gathered the necessary supplies, M0-RT- sitting next to the gurney in a doglike fashion. The door slid closed behind him and he sat down quietly in the corner, pulling out his Deecee and pointing it at the door. He couldn't protect Tup from this disaster, but at least he could make sure nobody came after them.

*

**Theed, Naboo**

"C'mon, it's this way!" Anakin sprinted down the path towards Theed's Royal Gardens, where Senator Amidala and Comman- dammit, Ahsoka were waiting. She had asked to meet Anakin far away from the prying eyes of the senate, even if it was a long flight from the outer rim. 

Anakin was trotting his way through the meandering streets of Naboo, trying not to break into a sprint in his eagerness to see Padme. Rex followed, occasionally looping back to help Artoo through a particularly cobbled section. Anakin would hear him grunting and double back, grinning with embarrassment at passerby and hissing at Artoo that they had to be more careful, don't draw attention to us.

An awkward stroll across the city later, they arrived at the gates of the gardens, where Padme and Ahsoka were waiting. Padme was wearing something ornate and bright green, and no wig he noticed. Not an official occasion. Beside her was one of her handmaidens- Sabe maybe? He could tell them apart, but assigning names to their faces had been trickier. They didn't talk much. And behind her-

He wondered what trick of the light made her glow like that, or if it was just his imagination. Ahsoka stood smiling at him in a blue dress. She looked… nice. He caught himself smiling and bit his lip, not entirely sure what was so embarrassing about this situation. Threepio toddled up the stairs up behind them, waving excitedly.

"Artoo! Artoo! And Master Anakin! It is so good to see you again!" Anakin waved at Threepio and dropped Artoo heavily on the ground. He walked up to the rest of them, heaving slightly and took Padme's hands.

"What is it? Are you okay? Did someone do something-?" Anakin began interrogating her. She pressed a finger to his lips, and he stopped immediately.

"I'm fine, but we need to talk in private." She took his arm and led him down the garden path, Sabe-she probably was Sabe-waited behind.

"You know what's going on?" Ahsoka asked Rex after a moment.

He smirked at her. "If I had to guess… I think there might be a little Skywalker running around soon." 

She pumped her fist in victory. Sabe arched an eyebrow at him and produced a wallet from insider her red-and-saffron robe. She handed Ahsoka a couple credits and nodded at Rex in admiration.

"Impressive." Sabe turned to Ahsoka. "And your trust in him is well-placed, I think. If you will excuse me, I must attend to my lady." She vanished down one of the garden paths. Rex turned to look at Ahsoka frowning slightly.

"We had a bet," She said innocently. "I knew you'd figure it out. Here's your share." She handed him some pocket change. He laughed quietly. They looked up to see Padme and Anakin approaching a gazebo, well out of earshot.

"Think he's gonna take it okay?" Ahsoka asked as Padme sat down and indicated Anakin should as well. she leaned in close to him, patting her midsection. Anakin froze up, absolutely still for a long moment- then leapt up, picking her up clean off her feet and spinning her through the air before setting her down and pulling her into a deep embrace.

"I think that's a good sign." Rex smiled down at her. 

Anakin was babbling and Padme was laughing with him. He got on his knees and pressed his ear to her abdomen. 

"Dork. She's only three months along, it's not kicking yet," Ahsoka laughed. 

Rex frowned at that statement, mouthing 'three months?'

"Rex?" Ahsoka asked, studying him.

"Sir? How… how long does it take to make a baby? Under normal circumstances." he turned to her to find her staring up at him, looking baffled. "I was grown in a tube until I could almost walk, but I'm accelerated and Kix said normal babies come out a lot smaller..?"

"Oh! Right. I forget sometimes. It takes about nine months for humans. The baby won't start getting big and moving around for a while yet."

"So twins would take eighteen months?"

"BWA-Pffft!" Ahsoka burst out laughing but quickly covered her mouth. "Oh no! No, that would be awful! Twins take nine months too. They just come out even smaller. Why?"

"Oh." Rex nodded, watching as Anakin continued to bounce up and down. "I just had this thought of two little Skywalkers running around, making all kinds or trouble."

Ahsoka had to cover her mouth again from laughter. After a moment, she stood up again looking somber. "They're going to have to deal with the council now. And Obi-wan. I can't imagine what he'll do. I mean, he'll be furious, but he loves Anakin. Maybe- I don't know." She sighed. "Master Windu though- he'll be hell to deal with. Anakin will be lucky if he isn't banished from the Order on the spot. Maybe- No." Ahsoka started and stopped.

"Maybe?"

"If he's got a wife and kids now- maybe it's better that he's not on the front. He needs to take care of them." She watched the lovers.

"Maybe." He agreed, watching them as well. She looked up at Rex just when he glanced down at her, for a moment neither could look away, a glimmer of possibility sparked between them. 

_Maybe 'we'…_

Both of them blushed furiously and looked away, Rex studying the clouds with great interest and Ahsoka suddenly fascinated with the shrubbery.

"Look, they'll be busy for a while- lots to talk about. We can't just stand here all day- Um, would you- I could take you back to my place, you could meet Phryne- my roommate. Prove I'm living in decent conditions."

"Yes. A scouting mission." he agreed, eager to change the subject. Ahsoka snorted and offered him her hand. Rex took it gently, slowly squeezing his fingers around her palm. She turned down the street and he followed her happily.

*

**SECLUDED DOCKING BAY, SCIPPIO**

A small red tiberian freighter was parked in one of the outside docking holds that surrounded the banking clan's city of vaults. By Scippio standards, it was a lovely day- a warm negative nine celcius, winds gusting at only 35 mph, and only minor whiteout conditions. Inside the main cabin of the ship, an attractive young man slept on the couch, head in a young Chiss woman's lap. He blinked his eyes slowly, still waking up, and stretched out to an unreasonable length, much like loth-cat. 

"Mmn? Alanda dear? Has he still not arrived?" King rolled onto his back as Alanda petted his long blond hair. 

"He's being fashionably late. You can't expect anyone who wears a cape to be on time for anything- they have to jerk you around and make you wait for them." 

"Rude." Grunted the Ozzo the Weequay, a new hire. It was nice to have a decent pilot at King and Alanda's disposal, which had sped up their acquisition rate. They must have been making a good name for themselves to attract such an illustrious client. 

Something chimed at the edge of King's consciousness and he sat up, flicking his tentacles. There was the distinct taste of good food, the scent of cauterized flesh and a cold menace. 

"Ah, our buyer arrives!" King sprung to his feet and peered out the main veiwscreen to see the sun-sailing ship arrive. 

"Kriffing finally!" Ozzo rolled his eyes. Behind him, Alanda pulled on a warm wampa-fur coat and hat. Arms ships were profitable to hit, but smugglers were always more fun to chase and had much more interesting cargo. Still, it had taken a while to get the bloodstains out. King and Ozzo pulled on their much blander utility coats and followed Alanda as the hatch lowered. Ozzo wasn't particularly diplomatic and King tended to be… excitable, so it was generally agreed that Alanda should do the talking. She strode out of the freighter to greet their client. 

He stepped out of his ship, back straight and tall, cape flapping dramatically in the wind and surveying them with a expression of not-so-faint disdain. He used a pseudonym when approaching them, but there was absolutely no mistaking Count Dooku in the flesh. 

"My Lord." Alanda bowed her head with the respect he was due. 

"I trust you have the supplies ready for inspection?" He stared down his pointed nose at her. 

"Of course! Right this way-" She led him up the ramp where King and Ozzo were waiting with the crate of a large ion disruptor cannon open. A squad of elite battle droids followed him in, and Ozzo flinched slightly. King reached out and patted his shoulder. 

"It's all right Ozzo." He smiled with a reassuring flick of his tentacles. Ozzo smiled weakly and stood back up. Dooku bent close to the cannon, examining it. 

"Would you like a demonstration, My Lord?" Alanda offered. He stood back up and arched a curious eyebrow at her. She nodded to King, and he pulled the disruptor out of its crate, hefted it onto his shoulder and walked down the ramp. 

"The R-52 is a grade up from Blastech's usual disruptors. It's meant to be an anti-vehicular weapon rather than anti-personnel," she explained as King steadied himself and took aim. "Though it's the speed and range I'm truly impressed with. When you're ready, Darling." She called. 

"Yes dear." King set his sights on a peak across the valley from them. He shifted his weight back to his leg and pulled the trigger back- 

There was a tremendous bright purple light and roar from the cannon, and a bright streak of light sped across the valley, crossing it in a matter of seconds. There was a loud boom, a shower of snow and rock, and the peak was no more. 

"Imagine what that might do to the side of a Republic Cruiser." Alanda offered, somewhat mischievously. 

"Indeed." Dooku nodded, something nearly resembling a smile forming under his mustache. 

"As you know, Blastech only officially supplies to the Republic, but unofficially, they have terrible security and it would be quite easy for us to transport product to your lordship. At a significant discount." 

"Cut to the chase," Dooku said, studying King with interest as he collapsed the disruptor for transport. 

"2500 credits each. Ohnaka was asking 4000 last time I checked." 

"That is a significant discount." Dooku nodded. "But what is to stop me from discounting these to free?" he asked, hand on the hilt of the lightsaber. 

Alanda smiled cheerfully up at him. "Two things. First, you do not have Blastech's shipping schedule to go and get them for yourself, and I believe it would significantly simpler and cheaper for us to do that work for you." 

"And secondly?" 

"Me," King whispered in his ear, close enough to breathe down the Sith's neck. _I can practically taste his essence from here! So rich! So strong! Delicious! Oh if only…_

"Impressive. You must be the famous Mr. King." Dooku turned to face him. 

King didn't step back, but smiled in a congenial manner. "I am indeed! And I am most honored to make your acquaintance, but If you could please not threaten my darling, I'd very much appreciate it." He stared at Dooku, feeling him out in the Force. Somewhere in the far recesses of his mind, a lone survival instinct cautioned that standing this close to an irritable Sith's lightsaber was perhaps not the best idea, but the rest of him was fascinated with the sheer sense of superiority and distaste for all lesser life he held. _And power! Such tremendous energy charging through him! Astonishing!_

But there was also something else. _Loneliness. It's cold at the top. Power is overrated._ He decided. _Better to pursue what pleases me in life, than to wear myself chasing after something that will never satisfy me._

He could feel Dooku testing him back, probing uncomfortable memories of restraint and pain. _But that was so far in the past! And it makes the joy of now so much sharper!_ He replied. 

"Hm. Most fascinating," Dooku said. King leaned back slightly and stepped aside. 

"Pardon me, My Lord. I so very rarely meet beings such as yourself. I am most grateful." He bowed to the count grinning behind his hair. Ozzo gaped at him in awe. 

"I'll take them." the Sith addressed Alanda who puffed up slightly with delight. The droids helped load up the crates into the transport they had brought long, and Dooku even offered them a nod before he took off again. As he left, a flight of republic fighters appeared, firing on Dooku. 

"Ah, piss. They shoot him down and there goes all his business." Glared Ozzo. 

"The Count will be fine. He didn't get to be the leader of the CIS by being captured by-" King stopped staring up at the sky. "They have a Jedi." His eyes went wide. Sith he could deal with, but Jedi… they worried him. Made his stomach go funny. 

"Go in and get Pookins. Ozzo and I will handle the ship." Alanda pushed him back into the ship. King climbed up the ladder to his and Alanda's quarters as Ozzo fired the ship up. He spotted the lump in the covers and retrieved his pet. The ysalimiri yawned and made a disgruntled noise, annoyed to have been yanked from his den. King threw the heavy, serpentine creature over his shoulders and wrapped them both up in a blanket, relieved to be in Pookins' force-negating bubble. He wouldn't be found here. 

Alanda came up after him as Ozzo got the freighter into the sky. "Is everything alright darling?" She leaned in, concerned. King poked his face out of his blanket fort and kissed her. 

"All is well now. Jedi are just… worrisome." He sighed. "It would be nice to be like the Count. Strong enough to not have to worry about them." he said, slouching in melancholy. 

"Darling…" Alanda took his face in her hands, pleased when his tentacles emerged to stroke her fingers. "I have no doubt in your abilities. I'm sure that if the Jedi came after us, you would be having a most delicious soup right now." She smiled, slightly squinting her warm red eyes. He sighed happily. She was too good for him. What machinations of the Force had blessed him with her? 

Pookins slithered off his shoulders and off the bed as they jumped to hyperspace. Alanda chuckled and kissed King passionately, knocking him back into the bed. He laughed and wrapped his arms around her, rolling over on top of her, kissing up her neck. 

Ozzo turned as he heard an irritable honk behind him. Pookins was sitting at his feet, demanding to be picked up. 

"At it again, are they?" he asked, picking the long creature up and letting him curl into a ball in his lap. "They're weird, yeah," He mused, staring at the blue tunnel of hyperspace before him. Upstairs, he heard them laughing again. 

"Probably plannin' on cutting someone's face off again." He nodded. "It's nice, seeing such a happy couple." 


	7. Chapter 7:  In which there is young love and people finally buy a clue

**M0-RT's Clinic, Coruscant**

Fives was still waiting, hours later. Nobody had come to the door, and he'd felt himself nodding off a few times. He'd barely slept since the siege of Ringo Vanda started, but it felt more like forever. Finally, the door slid open and Azee did the hover-droid equivalent of skipping into the antechamber.

"Good news! The operation was a success! He's awake and asking for you." the small droid directed Fives into the next room.

Fives scrambled, and haphazardly skidded into the room. Tup was sitting up, propped up by half a dozen pillows and head held firmly in place by a large brace. Only half his head was shaved with a large bandage covering it. Tup smiled at him as he ran over, nearly crashing into M0-RT.

"Tup! Tup! You're okay!" He went in to hug his brother, but hesitated, not wanting to make things awful all over again. Tup offered him the arm not covered in IV needles and Fives took it, letting Tup ruffle his hair.

"You didn't think a little skull fracture was going to take me out, did you? I have to stick around and watch your butt so you don't get shot," he laughed.

"He might be a little giddy from the drugs," Azee whispered.

"Nah, he's fine." Fives touched Tup's cheek, just relieved he was alive.

"Well, um-"

"Tup?"

"I couldn't see when I hit my head. I cans see fine out of this eye," he pointed to his right eye. Then he pointed to his left. "But this one's all messed up. There's no color and the edges are all fuzzy." 

"This is an expected consequence of such an injury," M0-RT explained. "His condition is unlikely to improve, but as long as it doesn't deteriorate, there is no reason to worry." There was a moment of quiet as Fives took in the news. _Tup's not going to go back into the army with an injury like that. Well, he wasn't going back anyway, but how's he gonna cope? It'll be rough-_

"How bad does it look?' Tup grinned, pointing at the side of his head. _Or he'll be fine._ Fives studied his new haircut for a minute.

"Well… Asymmetrical cuts are supposed to be in fashion. If you keep it shaved, you'll probably have a cool scar to show off to everyone. 'Specially the ladies."

"What ladies? The only real lady I've ever seen was Master Shaak Ti, and I don't think she's too keen on dating." They laughed for a moment. Tup seemed to turn quiet. "Fives?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you stay with me? You should have gone back to the front, but you stayed with me." 

"I owed you one, remember?" he spoke quietly. Tup smiled weakly at him. "Besides, you're the baby of the 501st. Somebody has to watch you and make sure you don't get shot," he teased. Tup rolled his eyes.

Tup rolled his eyes. "I'm literally six months younger than you. I'm not a baby."

"That's a whole year in clone years. It makes you the youngest, so you're the baby." Fives patted him on the shoulder. Tup glared up at him.

M0-RT interrupted them. "Fives? It's your turn on the table, though I think this extraction would be much more simple. If we are to present this evidence to the Jedi, a healthy specimen would strengthen your case. Your chip seems to be undamaged," M0-RT reasoned.

"Yeah, you're right but…" Fives stared at the cold white operating table. " I just promised General Ti I'd contact her when you were okay and-"

"You're stalling." Tup rolled his eyes. "It'd be safer to call the Jedi after we get the thing that's telling you to kill 'em out of your head, right?"

Fives nodded. "You're right." M0-RT offered him a metal hand and helped Fives onto the table. Fives lay down, breathing deeply to steady himself. 

"If you would turn your head, please," said M0-RT, and Fives complied. The surgeon pulled out restraining straps from under the table and after a bit of adjusting, secured Five's head in place so the chip could be accessed.

"Ready for a haircut?" M0-RT held up a set of clippers. Tup snorted from the other side of the room.

"Let me keep the beard, okay? I worked hard on that." Fives joked, trying to keep calm. Or not actively panic at least. He watched Azee fill up another syringe of bright blue sedative, and found himself clenching is fists.

"Just a prick in your neck and you'll be waking up before you know it." M0-RT spoke softly, brushing some stray hairs away.

"What if I don't?" Fives asked, looking up at the droid.

"Then you won't know anything went wrong."

"That's… comforting?"

"Perhaps you would prefer to think of some profound last words before you go under?" M0-RT suggested, taking the syringe from Azee.

"You're really grim sometimes." He glared awkwardly back at M0-RT, who shrugged four of six arms in reply. "But it's a good idea. Umm…" He struggled to think of something, before pointing to Tup. His brother sat up a bit, in spite of his braces.

"Live to fight another day."

"Most excellent," Said M0-RT, inserting the needle into his neck. Fives flinched a bit but the drugs washed over him like the tide, making him feel cool and slightly dizzy. It was easy to flow with them, he was so tired already…

M0-RT pressed two of his more sensitive digits against the clone's throat and studied the monitor measuring his brainwaves. Once satisfied he was asleep, he addressed his first patient.

"This may be distressing to watch."  
"He'll be fine. I'm sure." Tup settled back in bed. M0-RT linked his digital eyes at him, before shaping them into a semblance of a smile and turning his attention to his patient, and held a hand out to Azee beside him.

"Scalpel…"

*

**Theed, Naboo**

Several blocks later Rex and Ahsoka arrived at a set of short residential buildings, painted in the same off-yellow-walls-with-green-slate roof as most of the city was. There were overgrown beds of plants surrounding the small walkway, full of fragrant blooms and some even with fruits, and all of them tall enough to smack Rex in the face. Ahsoka tried not to laugh and trotted ahead of him and down a small flight of stairs. She punched in a security key and the heavy door popped open.

"Phryne! I have company!" She called in only opening the door a crack.

"UGH this means I have to open the windows again." Her roommate called back.

"Oh no! Daylight!" Ahsoka teased, opening the door all the way. The futon was pushed up against the wall, covered in odd pillows and blankets. Datapads were stacked awkwardly around the room, there were bags of PeakRain soda cans piled next to the door, and half an R-5 unit shoved into a corner.

"Oh, you cleaned up!" Ashoka said Phryne appeared in the hall. She had to stoop a bit to avoid knocking her head in the doorframe- at nearly two meters, Phryne ended up ducking a lot. She was wearing her usual baggy shirt, ocular correctives and heavy headphones over her ears. She strode up and offered Rex a hand.

"I figured you were going to bring someone over. Rex, right? She doesn't shut up about you." Phryne nearly shook his arm off.

"Er, Yes. You must be Phryne. You… like computers?"

"Like's a nice word. Most people use 'obsessed'. Been a while since you've seen each other?"

"Nearly four months. Why?" Rex cocked his head at her.

"Great! I'm going to… Buy cheese. Or something. For an hour. See you kids later!" She grabbed a bright yellow umbrella from beside the door and waved after them as she vanished.

"A little bit curt." Rex noted, completely oblivious.

"She's just a bit awkward around people she hasn't met before." _Weird though- she never goes out in daylight._ "But we're alone now- what was it you needed to tell me?"

"I, look, something went wrong. Tup, er, you remember how the General, um-"

"Hit him in the head with a wrench? Yeah. Once he's done talking to Padme he's got some questions to answer." _Lots of questions._

"Actually, I don't think we should. Tup… We were near the end of capturing Ringo Vinda and he started acting funny-bad headache, couldn't shoot straight- so Fives sent him to the back of the line. Next time I saw him, he'd cracked his own head open where the general had hit him- threw himself at the floor we think."

Ahsoka gasped in horror. _This, what? No! Why would he do that?_

"That's not the worst of it though. He started saying things like 'good soldiers follow orders' and 'kill the jedi'. He couldn't stop and…" Rex's words came slowly, halting. Ahsoka took his hand and peered up at him. _This isn't like him. Something serious happened, much more than Tup._

"I've heard it before. I have dreams and I hear that over and over and over and-and I turn my blaster on you. I don't know why, I don't want to, I never want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you, but I do." He fell back against the wall, and slid down it into a ball, hands covering his face. Ahsoka knelt down beside him, her orange skin dulling in terror.

"I thought maybe it was just me, combat stress or something, but- He was saying the exact words, and Fives said he has those nightmares too, and I called Fox and he says he and his unit have them too, and maybe even the Wolfpack and- Something's all karked up with the whole army sir. Something awful is going to happen." He flopped back against the wall behind him, shaking slightly. "Ahsoka, I'd never hurt you- never!" He pleaded.

"It's okay Rex!" She took both of his hands and stepped close to him, eyes wide. "Nothing's going to happen- if something like that was going to happen, the Jedi would be able to sense it! You won't hurt me. I'm sure." She reached up and took his face in her hands. He looked up at her, large brown eyes red around the edges. She leaned in, pressing her forehead to his, and they breathed together for a few moments. Slowly, he relaxed, uncurling from his ball into a sitting position.

"Rex?" She asked, eye-to eye with him. "Would it be okay if I sat in your lap and held you?"

"I-I think I'd like that." He opened up a bit more and she awkwardly climbed around his legs before settling up against his chest, arms around his shoulders and face tucked into his neck. He pressed his face into her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her back. She reached out into the Force, stroking the back of his neck- he felt cold, and an image of her from Rex's perspective- small, but radiant- _Do I really look like that to him?_ \- her back was turned to him, calling out some kind of order and…  
He raised his blaster-aiming at the back of her head-

_Kill the Jedi._

-and there was a blinding light and horrible noise.

Rex shook his head in her shoulder, whimpering. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I would never-"

Ahsoka squeezed him harder, running her fingers through his hair. She felt herself shaking, coldness spreading through her torso. _Maybe- our influence in the Force has diminished- what if something is going to happen?_ She began to tremble and he hugged her as close to him as he could, hurting her ribs but she needed it from him.

"It's going to be okay Rex. I won't let anything happen to you." She pulled back slightly and on an instinct she couldn't describe, kissed his forehead. Just a light press of her lips against his skin, but he froze up. _Oh no, I didn't mean to do that. Please don't be mad-_

"Sir..?" he asked.

"I'm sorry Rex-"

"I, I mean, are you okay with, could you?" he stammered, flustered. He Looked up at her again, tentative. "That felt nice."

Ahsoka froze up for a moment. "You're okay with me kissing you?" She asked.

He nodded. "That time on Coruscant- I like it when you touch me." His voice was quiet but husky.

"Is it okay if I touch you again?" She stroked the side of his face.

"Please…" 

She took his face in her hands, uncertain what actually to do. She remembered the last time and kissed his cheek first, then his lips. She relaxed against his chest, feeling how warm he was, how his chest moved as his breath hitched. She parted her lips, deepening the kiss. He twitched a little at the contact, but closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, following her lead. 

She moved her hands to stroke his neck and run her fingers through his short hair, making him moan deeply, which startled her. She pulled back and sat upright in his lap, rubbing behind his ears and into the muscles at the base of his skull. He hummed happily, eyes closed.

"Good?" She asked.

"Very good sir." He replied, turning to putty in her hands. She giggled and leaned back in, braver this time, and kissed up the length of his throat. Rex twitched and reflexively grabbed he shoulder and lower back. She felt a twinge of guilt from him.

"It's okay Rex, you can touch me back." Ahsoka murmured into his neck.

"Yessir." He spoke quietly. Slowly, he left his hands roam-up and down her back, massaging behind her Lekku, down along the outside of her thighs, making her squeeze against his hips.

"Hey, I want to try something. Look up at the ceiling," She said.

"Sir?"

"It'll feel good." She stroked his jaw, gazing up at him with those big blue eyes. Rex tilted his head to look up and gasped slightly as she stroked along his collarbone, lacing her touch with the force. He squeezed her tighter as she continued up his neck and into the joint behind his ear-

He actually yelped a bit, startled by how sensitive and electric that spot was. He twitched, jerking Ahsoka with him. She lost her balance and fell into him, causing her to head-butt him in the chin.

"Oof!" He grimaced and rubbed his chin and gritting his teeth that had been slammed.

"Ow!" Ahsoka sat up, rubbing her head. They looked at each other for a moment. Ahsoka began to chuckle, and Rex found himself laughing with her, unable to stop. They went on for a few minutes, Rex's abdominal muscles beginning to burn and Ahsoka dropping onto his chest. They quieted down eventually and she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Don't think I'm ready for the rough stuff yet sir," He teased. She burst into giggles again, punching him lightly in the shoulder.

"See, I told you it would feel good." She teased back.

"Yeah, it did." He smiled, strangely comfortable against the wall with her leaning into him, her body strangely cool. Maybe there was truth to that rumor that Togruta had a naturally lower body temperature than humans. He rubbed a hand up and down her back and behind her lekku, making her hum softly.

"Good?" he asked.

"M-hm." Ahsoka nodded against his chest. They held each other for a while, enjoying the closeness they had been craving, light touches here and there as they learned what they liked. Ahsoka liked to be massaged along her spine and Rex was surprised how sensitive he was to the lightest touches she gave him.

"This is nice." She mumbled into his chest after a long silence. Rex nodded, his forehead pressed to the top of her head. _Just a few more minutes,_ he begged. _Any minute now I'll be called back and-_

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Rex's comm went off unexpectedly loudly and they both jumped. Ahsoka flailing a little and Rex awkwardly reaching after her to grab her hand.

"Speak of the devil and-" Rex looked down at his comm and frowned.

"What?" 

"It's Fives. He said he'd call as soon as something came up with Tup."

Ahsoka grimaced. "Let's hope it's good news." 

*

**COURUSCANT'S UNDERBELLY**

Two cloaked figured stalked though the rainy back alleys, following an invisible trail. They were jostled and ignored by most of the crowd, but now and again, one of the more observant denizens would recognize them and dart out of the way. They came to a landing platform with a Jedi cruiser parked in it.

"He left the lights on." Mace Windu observed.

Shaak Ti defended Fives. "He had other things on his mind." 

"Your friend went that way!" Shouted an Ithronian at the shipping clerk's desk behind them, pointing down an alley full of food carts.

"Pardon?" She asked.

"Your buddy in the robe. Walked off with one of my crates. You got the credits?" The clerk glared at them as best as his wide-set eyes could manage.  
Mace stalked over with a moderately aggravated sigh, dropped a few credits on the desk and joined his friend as she made her way through the alley chock-full of food carts.

"Resourceful, your friend," He muttered.

"There's a reason he got promoted to ARC Trooper," she replied.

"You're sure they went this way?" he looked over the crowd, searching for the clone. He'd never met this Fives before, but he had a pretty good idea of what he might look like.

"I can sense Trooper Fives quite clearly. Something is a little… cloudy about him, but they definitely passed this way. Stop fretting." Shaak Ti glanced up at him from under her hood.

"Are you telling me to stop worrying after you brought a report to me saying that the whole army has been set up to exterminate us? Fear is the path to darkness, but sometimes mild alarm is warranted."

"Nothing has been proven yet. Here." She stopped at a plain-looking door next to a Lothal take-out place. She knocked on the door and a mechanical eye popped out suddenly, nearly hitting her in the face.

"What's the passwor-THAT'S HER IT'S OKAY!-please get back on the table!" came a cacophony from the other side. The door opened and they stepped in, as Azee hovered up to them.

"General Ti! It's good to see you! Five-S and Tup are both well but-"

"WE GOT THE CHIPS OUT YOU GOTTA SEE!" shouted Fives from the other room.

"Sit down!" Hissed a mechanical voice from inside.

"-clones were to bred to be energized and ready to get back on the field after emergencies so Trooper Five-S is a little bit… excitable." 

Mace stepped in to see one clone braced awkwardly in one bed looking sickly but on the mend. _That must be Tup, the one with the shattered skull._ A bearded clone with a bacta clamp adhered to his head was trying to work loose from the grip of the most eclectic and exasperated-looking droid Mace had ever seen. _And this must be our ARC trooper._ Placed along the sink counter were live comm holograms of Commander Fox, senator Chuchi's aide, Captain Rex and _…Miss Tano._

"For a secret mission there are quite few people present." Mace grumbled. Tano shuffled a bit behind Rex.

"Fives!" Shaak snapped, and he immediately sat down, looking embarrassed. He weaved slightly and she reached out to catch him, letting him lean into her shoulder.

"This is my mentor, M0-RT," Azee introduced the strange droid. M0-RT bowed his head and let go of Fives. "Captain Fox and Miss Poiroti have been keeping track Chancellor Palpatine Rex has been asking around the army and Miss Tano, um…"

"She's been monitoring other tenuous situations with Senator Amidala, I believe." Mace nodded. Ahsoka looked furtively off to the side, confirming his suspicions. "Now will someone tell me what is going on?" He folded his arms and glared down at the assembled company.

"Tup was hit in the head a few weeks ago by-uh-" Fives tried to explain.

"I am aware. Kenobi was furious. Please continue."

"I started hearing voices." Tup sat up a little, voice quiet but steady. "Good soldiers follow orders. Kill the Jedi. They were Kaminoan voices. I swear I've heard them since as long as I can remember. Not consciously- it's hard to explain. I didn't want to hurt anyone, and the only way to get them to stop was…" he trailed off. "I don't remember doing it."

Master Windu stood in silence, considering what the soldier has said. "The Kaminoan voices- could you recognize any specific person?"

"No sir." Tup tried to shake his head, making M0-RT dart over and clamp his hands over the braces.

The Jedi master turned his attention to his own. "Master Ti, you said the behavior of the Kaminoans regarding Tup here was peculiar?" 

"They seemed pretty bent on killing him, if that's what you mean," Fives growled from his position resting his head on Shaak Ti's shoulder, equilibrium still uncertain.

"ARC trooper Fives is perhaps somewhat blunt, but I would not fault his analysis- they wanted to give him dangerous tests and an overdose of painkillers," she said, looking disgusted.

"Could this be chalked up to gross medical incompetence?" Mace asked.

"I highly doubt it." Shaak Ti replied.

"I'd second her opinion" M0-RT nodded. "Kaminoans are experts in treating their creations."

"There's also the nightmares!" Fives sat up from Shaak Ti's shoulder. "I've dreamed the same thing over and over."

"I've had those dreams as well, so has most of my unit," Rex said.

"Mine too." added Fox. Mace frowned, a sinister picture forming in his mind and the Force. It had looked like an isolated case, but if all these men were having similar visions… _I've been feeling as though I was surrounded by unseen dangers, but the clones themselves? Made to be weapons against us?_ Mace shuddered as a cold wave of dark-side energy washed over him. He saw Shaak Ti shiver as well. His doubts about his acceptance of the clone army became certainties- _I've participated in a truly hideous form of enslavement and put the whole Order in peril. But who could arrange for this? the Kaminoans themselves? No, there is another influence at play here. I need more information, but for now, precautions must be taken._

The Force tugged at his mind and he glanced over to the captain and Miss Tano- the force was swirling around them in that relationship-shifting manner that had been bothering him recently. _Well, she's not in the Order anymore and is free to make her own decisions._ He studied her, then saw another connection- the relationship she shared with both Skywalker and Senator Amidala.

And the relationship that Skywalker and Amidala shared.

 _Ah, things become clearer._ Actually a great deal of things were becoming clearer and there was a tilting sensation in the Force, a sensation that things were beginning to shift back towards the light-and Skywalker and Amidala were at the crux of it. _They will have to be managed, but for now, there are more immediate matters._

"I think it would be wise to take these men and droids into protective custody until we find out who is behind this." Mace decided. 

"What am I supposed to tell the rest of the men when they start asking questions?" asked Rex, folding his arms across his chest.

"The truth." Mace smirked. "Both Tup and Fives have recently exhibited strange behavior recently and are in quarantine for further observation, and that the rest of your should get checked out for similar symptoms. Then refer to them to the new medical droids."

"New droids, sir?" Asked Rex.

"Miss Tano, I believe that your roommate is some considerable skill with computers? Would she be able to create new directives for the next set of medical droids to be distributed throughout the army?"

"What? How did you-?"

"I would not be the Commander-General of the Army if I did not have the means to keep track of my own."

Ahsoka opened and closed her mouth a few times before shaking her head. "We’re not covered under the Temple's diplomatic immunity are we?"

"No. But I will do everything I can to make sure you are not caught. I know I'm asking a lot of you, considering our recent relationship."

Ahsoka frowned at him for a moment before looking up at Rex. "I'll ask her." She nodded. Mace nodded back. _She looks to him. Interesting._

"Commander Fox, I'll leave it up to you to get those droids out to as many units as possible. If we can't get rid of all the chips, we should get enough men free to be able to take control of that unit in an emergency." 

"Yessir!" The commander snapped to attention and saluted him

"Miss Poirati, please keep track of the goings-on in the senate and a close eye on His Excellency. I feel as though there is much to be learned there." The senator's aide nodded to him, face deadly serious.

"Captain- keep an eye on Skywalker. There are dark forces surrounding him. Do not tell him of this. He is not good at keeping secrets." There was a very obvious nervous look between him and Tano. "He's very, very bad at keeping secrets." Mace sighed. They stared at him for a moment and both nodded enthusiastically.

"Master Ti, gather the council as soon as they're available." She nodded.

"I will begin moving Jedi away from the front lines and away from units we can't effect. Outer rim scouting missions, mandatory leave, training missions for the younglings." He addressed the clones.Will the rest of you be able to step into command if I have to pull Jedi from certain units?" 

"It's what we were bred for sir." Rex saluted him. Fox followed suit, and Fives and Tup tried their best.

"Is everyone clear on their orders?"

Everyone present nodded.

"May the force be with you."

*

**AHSOKA'S APARTMENT, THEED, NABOO.**

"May the Force be with you." Master Windu blinked out and Rex and Ahsoka stood there for a moment dumbfounded.

"Poor Tup. I'm glad he's okay, but-" Ahsoka started.

"-I can't believe the people who raised us would do that," Rex finished. They stood in horrified silence for a few moments.

"Do you think he knows about the General and Senator-?" Rex began to ask, eager to change the subject, though the prospect of getting transferred to another general again made his stomach clench.

"He definitely knows about them. I'm pretty sure he read my mind. Master Windu's always been… a little uncanny, actually." Ahsoka cringed. _Oh boy, Anakin's in for it now. Weird though, he didn't seem angry. Guess he's got bigger fish to fry though._

There was a loud click and the door whooshed open, Phryne framed in the bright daylight. Ahsoka beamed, relieved to have something to do about the situation.

"Hey Phryne, want to do something _really_ illegal?" Ahsoka asked as the Twi'lek walked in with a shopping bag full of Cheez-doodles and a crate of PeakRain Soda over her shoulder. 

"I knew I picked the right roommate." Phryne grinned.

Rex sputtered, unable to find words for a moment.

Phryne put the groceries down and began to boot up the Kludge. "Who are we screwing over?"

"Whoever thought it was a good idea to mess with him and the rest of the army. We need to get a bunch of medical bots and program them for brain surgery."

"I REALLY picked the right roommate." Phryne offered Ahsoka a high-five, which she took. "Ok, first, how many is a bunch? Second, we can go a few better than stealing them and third, I'm going to need some raw code for brain surgery. I have no idea how to write that."

"We need enough to get operate on five million men and fast, I like that plan and we have a guy with the coding we need."

"Sir! Are you sure we can trust her?" Rex interrupted.

"Remember how I was sure that The Chancellor and Tarkin were after me? She made it impossible for them to find me. Electronically, at least. As far as they know, I'm in a fictional co-op on Munnilst."

"You can do that?" Rex asked, still a little blown away with the casual friendliness the two of them had developed in a few short weeks.

"There are more things possible in the Holonet than are dreamt of in your philosophy, dear Captain," said Phryne, only half-paying attention as she began to type furiously, studying multiple screens at once. "I'm looking up where we can get hardware now, tell our code guy to get in touch with me ASAP so I know what language I'm working in."

"That might be a bit, but I'll pass it along."

"Great. Hey, I just saw Talla and Mrs. Gythra in the hall. Talla wanted to know if you could watch her kids on Taungsday and Gythra's scooter is broken again. Gythra says she'll pay you in cookies."

"Are you telling me to get out while your work?" Ahsoka asked, smirking.

"That or you kids can go make out in the bedroom. I'm gonna be tuning out for a while," Phryne teased back and Rex turned a furious shade of scarlet. He didn't think it was possible to blush more but when Ahsoka looked up at him with a glint in her eye and tugged him towards the bedroom door… He glanced back over his shoulder at the Twi'lek, who seemed fully occupied with bright green lines of code, then followed her, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ah, young love," Phryne sighed happily.


	8. Chapter 8: In which Plots are Created and Uncovered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY! Look what's not dead! I apologize for not updating in a while but I've got school, a job, family and a mental illness to take care of, so I work on it when I can, but not as often as I'd like. Thank you all for your patience and sticking with me, I'm pretty proud of this chapter.

**NABOO, AHSOKA'S ROOM**

Rex sighed deeply as the door closed behind them, Phryne's typing muffled slightly. The room was small by civilian standards, but bigger than anything he'd ever had. Still got that Jedi austerity- there were maybe half a dozen clothes in the open closet, and the one blanket on the small bed. She had, however, started something of a houseplant collection. He made a point of studying them as Ahsoka closed the blinds on the small, high window.

"Rex?" She asked, voice soft with worry. He closed his eyes, not yet ready to talk. She stepped up to him, pressing her face into his chest and wrapping her arms around him. Cautiously, he returned her embrace, arms resting lightly on her shoulders.

"You said- that if something was going to happen, you'd know." He stammered slightly, feeling his arms beginning to shake.

"I-" she paused, searching. "I don't feel anything, but the Force is weird." She sighed deeply. "I do feel like everything is going to work out, eventually." She squeezed his chest tightly, hands rubbing up and down his back, making him take deep breaths.

"I'll take that." He held her tighter in response, lowering his head to rest between her montrals. She was cool to the touch, as always, soothing and grounding. It's going to be all right, we caught it in time. He tried to tell himself.

"C'mon. There isn't much we can do right now." She peeked up at him and he pulled back slightly to meet her gaze. There was something… mischievous in her eye.

"So what do you propose we do to pass the time?" He gave her a lopsided smile. She grinned, and let go of him, taking his hand and pulling him toward the bed.

"You're sure?" He asked, following her.

"I've been sure since that time I mixed up the shower schedules on chrystophsis." She teased.

"I remember that." he laughed. "And here I was thinking it was my charming personality that you were so fond of."

"Rex," She sighed fondly. "You know there's nobody in the galaxy I trust more so if I'm going to try this… I want it to be you. All right?"

"Yes, sir. And thank you." he squeezed her hand and let himself be led to the bed. It was clearly intended to only hold the one person, and there was quite a bit of awkward fumbling and positioning of limbs. Ahsoka ended up on top of him, pressed close to him, lips on his neck again, which made him shiver, hands roaming over her back. Tentatively, he reached down to touch her leg- She was soft and smooth and slightly cool to the touch and he wanted nothing more than to bury into her, let her blot everything out, just for a while, she was safe.

"That feels nice." She grinned against his neck, her own hand tugging at the edge of his shirt. Rex sat up, easily holding her, to pull it off. Her hands were on him immediately, tracing lines of defined muscle and the occasional rib. 

"Huh." She said, frowning. "I didn't know human males had nipples."

Rex paused, not quite sure how to take that statement. 

"They're cute." She decided, leaning forward and gently sucking on one. Rex hadn't realized just how good that would feel, and tried to swallow the whine. Ahsoka grinned up at him before gently pushing him back- maybe with a bit of the force, but when she held him with it- it was warm, safe.

"Please-" He murmured, cupping a hand under her lekku, pulling her close. She shivered and made a rather incredible noise at his touch.

"Mmm- Keep rubbing there, that feels nice She mumbled, kissing at his neck again- He shuddered, arching up against her. 

And so it went, slow, gentle touches, murmurs of "Like this?" and hummed affirmations. Ahsoka couldn't seem to touch him enough, her hands all over his chest, clawing at his back in a way that made him hiss and arch into her more, rolling his hips. The feeling of her hungry bites as she responded in kind-

He was incredibly hard from being so intimate, but when she dipped her fingers below his waistband, something hitched and he suddenly sat up. He felt suddenly ill- a panic response he knew, something that usually happened to him when he was exhausted after battle.

Well, it had been a long day.

"Not-not yet." he put his hand on hers, feeling his head swirling.

She stopped and blinked at him. "You want to stop?"

He nodded. She sat up at once, letting him breathe.

"Too much at once?"

He nodded again, exhaling as she pulled her hands away and lightly kissed his forehead. They lay back down, Ahsoka resting on his chest, fingers running through his short hair. He wrapped his arms around her, still feeling jittery. Good, very good, and very exciting, but-

"-not the kind of excitement you're used to?" Ahsoka finished for him.

"Yeah." It didn't feel strange, for her to do that, like she belonged in his brain. Not like other things. "Didn't train for this."

"It's all right. Can we still cuddle?" She asked, sitting beside him.

"Mm- yeah, that'd be nice." he nodded, shuffling to the side. She settled down beside him, trying to find a comfortable way to lie next to him, to no avail. Lekku and Montrals were complicated things. Eventually, they shifted and rolled until she held him from behind, deep in her own dreams.

The light cast through the half-shuttered windows was slowly climbing up the wall and growing more orange as afternoon turned into evening. Still, Phryne clattered away at the keyboard, and the General didn't call. 

He was probably very busy with his wife. Babies were complicated affairs to begin with, Rex was told, and the perceived need for secrecy probably only made it worse. It would be very difficult to buy a cradle and pretend it wasn't for a baby, he imagined. Probably Sabe's job. Maybe he should send Jesse along to help. He was good with kids, and the babies would be their niblings too.

Still, thoughts of brain chips and dark conspiracies jutted in, making him nauseous. The betrayal was the worst. Both what had been done to him, and what he might do. The former was the less distressing of the two, honestly. After all the other modifications that had been made to him-accelerated aging, increased reflexes, not to mention the nonstop training and honing of his skills-it wasn't all that surprising. I'm a weapon. I knew that, I always kriffing knew that, I just didn't think I'd be used against-

His dark musings were interrupted by the sudden loud buzzing of the chrono beside the bed, and Ahsoka sitting bolt upright.

"Kriff! I'm going to be late!" She cursed, climbing around him and rifling through her closet for a clean shirt.

"Late for what?" Rex asked, sitting up and searching for his shirt.

"Oh, I got a job. Lots of people in this neighborhood are new families, so I work at the daycare in the main office. My shift's in ten minutes." She explained, pulling a tight blue top on and buckling her belt with her sabers on.

"Suits you. You always were good with kids." Rex chuckled. "But you take your weapons to work?"

"We... Had a break-in a few weeks ago. Not this apartment, but I don't want them stolen again. Don't worry, I keep them locked up during work. Lightsaber training isn't part of the curriculum."

Rex laughed quietly as he pulled his shirt on. She helped tug it down before hugging him around his middle. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his head between her montrals, breathing deeply.

"I'm glad I got to see you again." She said.

"Me too sir." He mumbled back. They held on for a moment longer before she pulled back.

"You can walk me to work." She smiled, taking his hand and him pulling him along out of the room. "See you later Phryne!"

"Yep." Phryne absently agreed, staring down the mass of code on the screens in front of her, fingers a blur. Ahsoka chuckled and Rex followed her out the door and through the overgrown plants to the main office, getting smacked in the face all over again.

Inside, an ancient-looking Drall Lady was perched on a tall stool behind the main desk, engrossed in her knitting. Socks, possibly, for something twelve feet tall with too many toes. Rex guessed. 

The diminutive rodent-she couldn't have been more than a few inches taller than Yoda- perked up, black eyes squinting through thick correctives, and age-whitened whiskers twitching.

"Oh, Ahsoka, it's good to see you. You're usually so punctual," She chided mockingly, putting down The indistinct but fervently clashing piece of work. "but I see you've brought a rather handsome distraction with you." she smiled knowingly.

"Rex, this is Gythra, my landlady and boss. Gyhtra, this is Captain Rex." She introduced them. Rex offered her a hand, blushing slightly, and she took it with a small but surprisingly strong paw. Must have built up her finger muscles knitting non-stop. Wonder if that would help with my trigger reflex…

"It's nice to meet you dear." Gythra looked him over, shiny dark eyes darting over him as she slowly nodded. She stopped for a moment with her gaze on his neck, making him glance down to see if Ahsoka had left a bruise. They were suddenly interrupted by his comm beeping loudly at him.

"It's the General-" he looked up to see Ahsoka's pained expression. "We can meet up later." he decided, choosing to delay the inevitable. "Give him some time to process everything."

"Yeah, that sounds good." Ahsoka nodded awkwardly. She suddenly stepped up and gave him a quick kiss, making him startle and Gythra smirk. "I'll see you again soon, okay?"

"Yeah. Soon." She let go and began to head for the room behind the desk, walking backwards. he similarly stumbled out of the door, watching her turn to greet an unseen child, beaming and radiant.

"May the force be with you, Sir."

*

**NABOO, ROYAL GARDENS**

Anakin knelt in front of Padme, rocking from side to side as he stared at her abdomen.

"What are you doing?" She laughed as he beamed.

"I'm… everything in the force has got an aura- a sort of light to it. I'm trying to see if I can make out the baby. I think she's-" Anakin lightly touched slightly to the side of her navel. '-she's right here!"

"…Ani, that's my appendix. My womb is down here," she patted lower. He bit his lip and laughed, embarrassed, but leaned down, peering into her. "And what makes you so sure it's a girl?"

Anakin shrugged. "A feeling, I guess."

"Well, I think it's a boy." She ran her fingers through his hair, somewhat unkempt and a little greasy, like he'd bolted over without taking a shower. It was sort of charming, even if it was a little gross.

"We'll have to see then!" He laughed, getting up to sit beside her on the bench. He hugged her close, kissing her cheek before leaning on her shoulder. He sighed deeply, content at first, but she saw his brow furrow with worry.

"We'll figure it out." She promised.

"Obi-wan's gonna kill me." Anakin groaned.

"I think you're underestimating how much he loves you. It's Windu I'm worried about."

Anakin shuddered at the thought. "I'll probably get kicked out of the order. Though, I mean, it was kind of a matter of time before someone found out. And-if I'm gonna be a father-maybe-" he bit his lip, staring at his boots.

"Don't you dare." She warned him. "You would go crazy if you couldn't help people. I know you." She stroked his cheek. "It's why I love you so much."

He glanced up at her, eyes watery.

"I told you. We'll figure it out." She smiled, trying to re-assure him but feeling her own gut clench. 

"I don't want you to have to give up on being a Jedi, for any reason. Sabe is working out some of the details, and it’s not the first time a sitting queen or senator has given birth in office. And I've got Ahsoka helping me too."

He smiled back, only half-convinced, and hugged her close. "I'm glad. I- I need to talk to Ahsoka while I'm here. I need to- explain things."

"You mean apologize?”

"No- I- Well- maybe." He leaned back, glancing off to the side. "Is she doing okay?"

"She's adapting. It's a little bumpy- her neighbor had to save her from burning down the building the first time she used a stove- but she has friends, and a job." Padme leaned into him. "You taught her well."

He smiled weakly, then jerked his head up. Padme sat up too- she wasn't quite sure what it was- like a noise or flash of movement, but she couldn't really say she heard or saw it with her real senses. Still, she felt… watched. Something lurking nearby. 

She reached for the single-shot holdout she kept in her dress as he reached for his saber, shifting to put himself between her and the Rhodo bushes. But just as soon, it was gone.

If it had ever been there.

"…must've been a Tooka." Anakin smiled unconvincingly, turning back and settling beside her.

"Right." She agreed, unsettled. What… was that? She felt stirring in her abdomen- Just nerves, I'm sure.

You can't catch the Force, can you?

*

**CORUSCANT, CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE**

Sidious frowned out at the Coruscant skyline, glittering in the night, snarl more pronounced than usual. 

They're happy, damn it.

His timing had been off and now Skywalker and Amidala were together, away from the war and happy.

This is not part of the plan.

He tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair as he wallowed in disappointment and pettiness, stewing them into personal insult and vengeance, the darker emotions strengthening his connection to the Darkside. Still, they were just out of his reach, protected by a bubble of light and warmth, burning his mind when he reached into it. Worse still, he could hear Windu skulking around the edges, scratching and prodding and getting entirely too close to important things. It would be nice if the Force were to tell him what trail the wretched man had picked up, but the happy couple was shining too bright for him to make out other details. He held a hand up to his mouth and bit down, hard, to see if the taste of his own blood would make anything clearer.

Something did come through- the Force tugged his attention to the little disc he kept some of his more unsavory contacts on. An idea occurred to him, and he pulled it up on his desk. A familiar name jumped out at him, and according to the tracker he'd had installed on his ship, the bounty hunter was rather close to Naboo. It was too soon to strike at Amidala- and there was the feeling that the spawn she was carrying might prove important- but there were other targets in the area. 

He dialed the comm.

"Yes, my Lord?" A deep voice drawled on the other end of the comm.

"Bounty Hunter. I have an assignment for you…"

*

Flora peered carefully around the corner of the hall leading to the chancellor's office. It seemed clear, but she'd thought that the last time, and Briggan had been a nasty surprise. But the stakes were higher now.

The coffeepot in Fox's office had died.

Exploded, really, in a final act of wrath against the commander, who was fortunately armored at the time. She'd walked in on him using pliers to get the shrapnel out of his visor. Between that and the Chancellor's recent series of… annoyances she had resolved to steal the coffee machine from his break room. She'd brought along a trolley and an official-looking note from maintenance for the job. Mess with the rancor, get the tusks, yes? 

She felt her blood run cold again as she approached the Chancellor's door though. The awful croaking voice was back, along with another chillingly familiar voice. The day senator Chuchi had been taken hostage was forever etched into her mind. That voice has no place in the Chancellor's office. Against all good judgment, she got on her knees to peer through the door, head low where it might not be seen.

Palaptine was seated in usual place, but with a somewhat shabby robe on, partially obscuring his face. More importantly, he was speaking to an all-too-familiar hat.

"Sounds simple enough. What's the catch?" Cad Bane drawled.

"Your target." a smaller hologram popped up between them, but Flora couldn't make out who it was.

"So much for simple." the bounty hunter groaned. "I'll take it. At double pay. You're running out of options with that one."

Palpatine snarled at Bane, but sighed in acceptance. "Tonight." He growled.

"Of course." Bane waved his hand. "A pleasure doing business with you again." his hologram flickered out, along with the smaller one. Palpatine stood up from his chair and pulled the robe off, handing it to a service droid to hang up again, before turning to stare at the skyline again.

Flora inched back and stood up as quietly as she could with her hands shaking like leaves. She forced herself to breathe. So. There are conspiracies afoot. Much greater ones than I had feared. I must tell Master Windu immediately. With extreme care, she pulled the cart back and maneuvered down the stairs, hoping the clunking and squeaky wheel wouldn't give her away.

*

**JEDI KNIGHT TEMPLE, MEDICAL WING**

"What's going on?" Tup asked, glaring up at the ceiling. He opened and closed one eye, then the other, still getting the feeling for his damaged eye. The medical centers of the Jedi temple were older than the ones on Kamino, but some clever soul had thought to paint an elaborate botanical scene on the ceiling, which was much nicer than durasteel or spackle. The grayscale wasn't so bad, really, it would just overlay with his color vision. It was the static where he used to have peripheral vision that was driving him nuts. That, and Fives. There were things going on outside, and Fives was not doing a good job of reporting them.

Fives was standing with his face pressed up against the small window in the door, peering out into the hall. There wasn't much he could see happening, but the scenery of the temple was fascinating.

"There's potted plants all over- I don't know how they keep the place clean- and the little bitty Jedi keep running around. Like barely to my knee small. Cute little things, do you think there are pictures of General Skywalker from when he was small?"

"Can you see what the adults are doing?" Tup growled. "Or M0-RT?"

"Uhh… I can't see M0-RT, I think they took him to a secure terminal-must be a ton of code to send to that slicer." Fives shifted his position to squint down the hall. "General Windu's still talking to a bunch of holograms, but I can't see who. Oh! There's general Kenobi!"

"What's he doing?"

"Looking like he's gonna puke. Don't blame him." Fives shrugged. "Man, Cody is not going to take this well."

"You're taking it really well. Not really like you." Tup studied a large pink blossom.

"I'm on a lot of painkillers. Kix says they make you not care about stuff until later and then you cry and scream like crazy. You're not freaking out either."

"Great, we can have a nervous breakdown together tonight." Tup groaned.

Fives was about to say something in reply when the door opened and he stumbled into Shaak Ti. She caught him easily, pushing him back to his bed as Azee and M0-RT followed her in.

"Insensible creature, get back in bed! Getting that blasted thing out won't do you much good if you give yourself a hemorrhage." He grumbled, fluffing the pillows behind the clone. "Honestly! In all my years…"

"How many years?" Fives asked, suddenly curious and not remotely tired.

"Pardon?"

"How old are you?" Fives asked, squinting at M0-RT. "It'd be funny if my doc was younger than I am."

The droid looked off into the distance with a contemplative frown. "That is a very interesting question- many of my components are quite old-"

"No I mean- well your memory is- it's what makes you you and not something off a factory line, right? How far back does that go?" Fives continuted as Shaak Ti pushed on his shoulder, trying to get him to lie down.

M0-RT did an excellent imitation of a sigh. "My memory is, ah, let's call it patchy. Sections have been erased or written over, and there is some data that I've added that goes back much farther than my original manufacture. Even that date is a matter of dispute."

"But you told me your hardrive was initially from a model used for preserving corp-" Azee began before M0-RT, batted him in the face with a loud clang, making Azee tumble in the air.

"What?" Fives and Tup asked in unison. Shaak Ti glanced at him suspiciously.

"Ah, well, you see-" M0-RT floundered before looking up at the two curious men who had trusted him to go poking about in their neural matter. "Large sections of my memory have been lost, but my original skill set seems to have been retained. Between that and certain hardware I possess, it is entirely possible that I was, er, an undertaker."

There was a moment of silence in the room, M0-RT staring down at his mis-matched feet.

"Wow." Tup gaped. "Your name is a hideous pun."

Fives began to howl with laughter. Shaak Ti hid her face in her hand but M0-RT could see her shoulders shaking with amusement.

The droid sighed in relief. "I thought you might be upset, me not being a proper medical droid."

"Hey, all it means is that you got more practice on dead people than regular doctors did!" Fives decided.

"How many painkillers did you give him?" Shaak Ti asked, amused at his enthusiasm. Fives rolled his eyes and Tup snorted.

"He can't be too much of a hack, I feel like I could pull the ears off a Gungan!"

"I believe the expression is 'ears off a gundark'. What you're proposing is aggravated assault and possibly manslaughter. Get back in bed." Shaak Ti lightly shook his shoulder. He settled back in with only minor noises of complaint, sighing happily as she ran her hand over his bald head, careful to avoid the clamp. "Get some rest." She said, voice low and soothing.

"Yessir." He mumbled, suddenly tired. He wondered if she had just used the Force on him, but it had also been a long few days, and you were supposed to rest after surgery, right? He yawned and settled in a bit more as she stroked his cheek, drifting off.

"I'd ask you to refrain from doing that in the future. Human brains are delicate." M0-RT scolded her. "At the same time, thank you. I was worried I might have to tie him down."

"It wouldn't work, I promise." Tup laughed quietly, yawning himself. "You can't do… whatever you just did, but can you stay with me?" he peered up at her through the brace.

"Of course." She said, sitting on the bed beside him. She gently took his hand and drew light circles on his palm. Tup closed his eyes and concentrated on her fingers, his breathing slowing as she traced slower and slower circles on his palm. It's okay now, I can go to sleep and everything will be fine. Slower and deeper, feeling her fingers go around and around…

"A much better trick." M0-RT whispered, peering over her shoulder as Tup drifted off as well.

"I wasn't sure if Fives would hold still long enough to do that." She smiled. "But I shall keep your words in mind." She lightly stroked Tup's cheek. "Do you think it will work? It's an awfully large operation to put out so fast, and not knowing when the 'deadline' is…"

"I hope so." Azee. "At least, I think it's hope. This is all very new territory for my circuits."

"If it feels like you're flying against the wind with a busted repulsor, but you're not falling yet, it's hope." said M0-RT sagely. He tucked the covers closer around Fives and studied his face. "I knew this was wrong. I should have done something sooner." he looked up at Shaak Ti. "Please forgive me."

"I'm not sure I can offer the forgiveness you need. I'm a guilty participant in this as well. The Jedi never should have taken command of this army, and looked away for so long. The best we can do now is to survive this and do right by them." Shaak Ti sighed. 

"Rest well, soldier. I'm afraid there is still much to be done."

*

**KAMINO, SECLUDED CLOSET**

[So it's real?] Dogma typed slowly, hands shaking. 

The feline avatar typed as fast as he ever did. [I'm afraid so. The Jedi have concluded that the chips may safely be removed, but it requires rather intensive surgery.] Mau replied.

[What about the vod'ika?] Dogma had to delete and type the worth three times before he could send the message.

[The chips look like they were planted during embryonic development. I have no idea what would happen to the children if they were activated before maturity, but I doubt it would be pleasant.]

[They wouldn't attack anyone, right? They're just kids!]

Mau didn't reply for a long time.

[I don't know.] He typed, and Dogma frowned at the avatar, willing it to make some sort of expression for him to read. [But we need to work fast. I'm sending you a schematic of the device that broadcasts the signal. If you can find and break it, that will keep us from having to find out.] There was a soft beep from the device, and a download appeared on the side.

[And after that?] Dogma asked.

[I've already sent someone to retrieve you. She knows my name and avatar. Just- Don't panic and listen to her, all right?]

Dogma swallowed hard. He'd already taken enormous risks for Mau, on the promise of escape from Kamino but… being told to 'not panic' when he met Mau's collector made him nervous. Well, more than usual.

[Yes, sir.]

[Dogma? Are you going to be all right?] Mau asked. there was no tone over text, but something in his words seemed soft.

[I've been through worse.]

[That wasn't what I asked.] 

Dogma sat back in the cramped closet, careful not to bang his head on the shelves again. Kriff, it was bad enough on umbara but for the Kaminoans to put a Kriffing chip in his head- like they hadn't manipulated him enough already, with the accelerated aging and the training and-

[I just want to be left alone.]

[I can arrange that. I promise, once you're out, you'll never have to come back.] Mau promised.

[I don't know. I don't know how to be anything but a soldier.] 

[You will learn, I promise. It will be an adventure.] Mau replied. [The good kind.] He added, before Dogma could replied he'd had quite enough adventuring, thank you.

[I have to leave now. But my agent will be there in a week. Report in when you can.]

[Yes, sir.]

[May the Force be with you.] Mau replied before blinking out. Dogma turned off the datapad and returned it to it's hiding place before returning to the bright white halls outside. He straightened his work uniform, preparing to get back to his shift, when he heard the sound of small feet behind him. A pair of vod'ika ran up to him, one tackling his leg and tugging on his shirt.

"8947!" he squeaked, peering up at him. "We got lost!" Dogma tried not to flinch at the number. Officially, he didn't have a name anymore. Hell, he didn't even have his old number. As far as they knew, 8947 had always been a janitorial clone.

"I TOLD YOU-" The other began, swatting his brother. Ah, yes, Howler.

"It's all right, I'll walk you back." He mumbled at the large eyes staring up at him. One of the boy's hands was shaking.

"We were supposed to go to DX-883 because SOMEONE damaged the training field-" The one clutching his leg- Twitch, Dogma remembered. He always remembered names, even if it took him a little longer these days. He'd have to keep an eye on that one- if that tremor didn't get better, he'd end up in cleaning scrubs- or worse.

The boys thanked him, following as he walked down the hall towards the other training ground. Twitch took the offered hand, Howler, trotting ahead.

He had to find the broadcaster, and fast. For their sake.

*

**NABOO, AHSOKA'S APPARTMENT BUILDING**

"Wheeeee! Again!" The Rodian boy squealed as Ahsoka caught him, though technically, she never really let go. 'Toss' was a popular game, and one of the few ways Ahsoka still practiced telekinesis with the Force.

"Me next! Me next!" Squealed one of the togruta girls, tugging at her skirt.

"No meee!" demanded the human boy with the dark brown curls.

"Don't all gang up on her like that!" scolded Talla Sho, the daycare's other teacher. She was another Togruta Ahsoka's height and age, and her cooking had kept her alive for a few weeks while she learned how to use a stove properly. "You're better than a jungle gym for them." She teased.

"Yep! Not dropping children directly on their heads is one of my finest talents!" She set the Rodian boy down and stretched. "Okay guys, that's enough for today. We need to do cleanup now." There was a chorus of complaining noises but the children shuffled off and began to collect the toys.

"Hey, did you bring your sabers with you?" Talla asked as they bent down to gather blocks and stuffed animals.

"Yeah, they're locked up in the cabinet. Why?"

"Just… I thought I saw something in the bushes outside. Nevermind. It was probably just a Tooka." Talla shook her head. Ahsoka felt a cold shudder run down her spine, something nasty and familiar. She stood up and stared out the window, listening intently.

"Did you see it?" 

"No, but… My master always told me to trust my instincts. And if you think something's off…" Ahsoka began, and Talla very quietly but quickly walked to the locked cabinet.

"Miss Tano?" the curly-haired boy tugged at her skirt. "It smells like eggs outside."

"What? Show me." She followed him to the door, and carefully opened it a crack-

-and was immediately hit with the sulphiric scent of a gas leak. Gythra was lying unconscious behind the desk, collapsed off her stool.

"TALLA, GET EVERYONE OUT NOW!" she roared, scooping up the boy and running for Gythra. The elderly Drall was still breathing, thank the Force, and she scooped her up under her other arm. She slammed into the front door, only to find it locked and chained shut. Dammit, dammit, why didn't I sense anything? Eyes watering, she hopped back and concentrated, shoving forward with the force, and the door buckled and flew off its hinges.

"Cori," she told the boy as she dropped him in the flower bed in front of the building. "Take Gythra and get to the public comm on the corner, then call the fire department! Tell them there's a gas leak! Go!"

The little boy stared up at her in shock, but nodded and took the old lady from her and began to drag her off. Ahsoka turned to get Talla and the other girls when-

"You know I thought I smelled something. Like poodoo I'd stepped in before." Ahsoka snarled at the familiar silhouette.

"Charming." Cad Bane drawled. "But I'm not going to be trod on again." He raised his blaster at her.

I don't have time for this, anything could set that off- she moved to dart around him.

"Thinking of protecting them? You Jedi never change." Bane held up a detonator in his other hand, long blue fingers curling around the deadman's switch in a serpentine manner. "On your knees and they might have enough time to escape."

Ahsoka hesitated, instinctively calling out for help in the force- Rex! Anakin! Anyone! The best I can do is give them more time-

"Who hired you for this? Tarkin?"

Bane chuckled darkly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Now, on your knees." he jerked the blaster at her again. 

She put her hands up but didn't quite get down- She could see movement inside the building, another few minutes and the fire department would be here. 

"Down!" Bane shouted, waving the switch. "Or the whole building goes up!"

She could hear Talla shouting inside as the rest of the children scurried out of the building, skirting behind her and Bane. Where's Talla? What's she still doing in there? Ahsoka heard a loud clunk, and realized her friend had been struggling with the lock on the cabinet- She could see Talla now, just in the doorway, belt with the sabers clutched in her hand-

"Talla! No!" Ahsoka felt her gut clench, skin pricking with fear.

Bane looked over his shoulder at the teacher and sneered. Ahsoka shoved at him with the force, hard, leaping after him to pin him on the ground- but something was wrong- it was too hard, she'd lost control in her fear- he flew back into the building, thudding down near Talla, hand knocking against the desk and-

He let go.

*

Rex had almost gotten back to Skywalker and Amidala when he saw his general running towards him, eyes wide with terror. Anakin grabbed onto his arm like a docking claw and pulled Rex off his feet after him, dragging him down the narrow streets.

"Sir! Sir! What's going on?" he shouted at Skywalker, trying to get his feet under him-

\- then he heard the noise, roaring in his ears, tinnitus ringing with the rumbling aftereffect. He felt it, rumbling up through his boots into his chest and jaw. Windows in nearby buildings rattled and cracked. Rex was no stranger to explosions, but those belonged on the field, or in otherwise abandoned cities. Not here, with all these civilians…

They rounded a corner and Rex felt his gut turn as he realized they were re-tracing his route, back to where he had left Ahsoka.

Please, Please, If there is any good in this universe, please-

They crested the hill, and Skywalker slammed to a halt, hand over his mouth. The whole building was smoking, half of it completely gone. The daycare where he'd left her.

"I need everyone to stand back, the building isn't stable- Sir!" The woman from the fire department yelled as Skywalker and Rex leapt over the barrier, running for the ruin.

"Ahsoka! Ahsoka!" Anakin called, coughing from the ash. Rex had to dodge smoldering rubble as Anakin began to shave debris around with the Force, searching frantically.

"SIR! STOP! SHE COULD BE TRAPPED-" Rex shouted, Grabbing the Jedi by the shoulders. 

"AHSOKA!" Anakin called, hands twitching uselessly as his eyes darted around the smoldering ruins. "AHSOKA PLEASE!" His voice was high, raspy with panic.

Rex jogged around the mound of rubble, searching, searching- he caught a glint of metal in the rubble-

Her lightsabers.

"No!" He begged, kneeling beside the twisted leather handle holding the sabers- maybe she dropped them, she got out, she's fine-

Then he saw the body.

After Zygeria, he knew what a Togruta corpse looked like, even when it was charred and covered in rubble. 

Her skin had burnt where the leather had wrapped around her hand, the shape of the hilt embossed on her palm. He reached out, somehow hoping that maybe if he touched her, she'd get up, and everything would be okay. Inches away, he realized his hand was shaking, and that he couldn't do it. No, she was gone. Just like that. Just like Echo. Just like-

He knelt there, in the ash, feeling it cling to his skin and creep into his lungs. That's why he was coughing and sputtering and his eyes burning, that's why his chest hurt and he felt closer to death than ever before.

No.

He coughed again, gasped, choking. His lungs wouldn't co-operate, he could feel water on his face. No, no please, anything but this-

He heard Skywalker behind him, running up to his padawan- Rex turned and grabbed Skywalker. He didn't need to see this. Not after everything else. He had to protect his general. Pushing him back from where she lay, hoping he didn't see her fingers. Rex grabbed his head and pressed Skywalker's face into his shoulder to keep him from looking. Skywalker grabbed at his shoulders and tried to shove him away, but Rex refused to let go.

"Ahsoka!" Anakin gasped, more cough than cry.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry…" Rex managed to choke out.

Anakin stopped shoving. Then stilled. Then he began to shake, Robotic hand gripping Rex's shoulder hard enough to bruise.

"Rex, Rex, no…"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry-" Rex couldn't stop, feeling cold and numb except for the pain in his shoulder.

"Why weren't you here?" Skywalker growled.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

"You were supposed to protect her!" The growl took on an eerily familiar edge. Like right before he hit Tup. Skywalker shoved him back, looming over him.

Rex peered up, not wanting to see but those awful eyes were waiting for him. It wasn't Skywalker at all, but something twisted and hateful, wearing Skywalker's face. 

"I'm s-" he began but then the air was gone from his throat, a sudden invisible noose tight around his throat. He clawed at his throat, but there was nothing there. His eyes blurred more, but he could make out the shape of Skywalker, cybernetic arm held out, and Rex realized with horror that this must be what it's like for the brothers unfortunate enough to be throttled and skewered by Ventress. He tried desperately to inhale, even as his feet left the ground.

"WHY WEREN'T YOU HERE?!" He roared, and Rex's head was forced back as his grip tightened. No air, bright lights in his eyes, It was wrong, wrong, all wrong-

"ANI!" Padme screamed.

-Then just as suddenly, he was being thrown down, slammed into the ground. He heaved, breathing in ash but never more grateful for air. He tried to stand, hand curling around something.

Her lightsabers. 

He could hear Amidala behind him-stop this, what's wrong, oh no- as he stared down at them. Ahsoka was gone, and she'd taken a piece of the general with her.

Rex heard Skywalker's boot crunch behind him, and his body moved without waiting for his mind. He ran. First in blind panic, fearful he'd hear the sound of a lightsaber behind him, or that he'd be seized by the throat again. After a few minutes bolting through the side-streets and back alleys, he distantly realized he wasn't being followed, but he continued to run. Away from Skywalker, Away from Ahsoka, Away from everything that had ever made sense to him. It’s over, it’s all over-

Paved roads turned to cobblestone, then stone into dirt, then the road under his feet vanished altogether. Grass, stones, the cold night air- The grade of the ground underneath him changed, and he stumbled, collapsing outside the city. He held still, not daring to breathe, listening for boots and the hum of the saber behind him.

When they did not come, the tears did.

He lay there, shivering, gasping, sabers clutched close to his chest. Gone, gone, it's all gone. He wasn't sure how long he lay there, stock-still, watching as the red evening light turned violet, then to black. It grew cold, but he lay still, paralyzed with grief.

There was a movement beside him, and he looked up, expecting Skywalker or the fireman, but instead met the shiny black eyes of the Drall he'd met earlier. Gythra.

"…Why?" the word came from somewhere deep in his chest, where his heart used to be.

"I don't know," She said, offering him a paw. "but I am so sorry."

He heaved for another moment, then finally pulled himself up, taking her paw. He glanced around- still leery of Skywalker- before sitting next to her, knees still too weak to stand. She settled next to him, paw on his shoulder. They sat in silence for a while, watching the moon rise over the plains. 

There was a soft noise beside him and he turned to see Gythra staring into the distance, tears staining her fluffy cheeks. He reached out, hesitating, before she took his hand.

"I didn't know her long, but she always spoke very highly of you." Gythra declared, voice high and tight. 

"Thank you." He managed, not sure why.

"Am I right to assume you don't intend to return to the Jedi?" She asked, still not looking at him.

Rex looked down at his hands, and suddenly realized he'd taken her sabers with him. Kriff, if Skywalker wasn't mad before- No, They still need me. Kix and Jesse and Fives and Tup and all the others. Especially now, if Skywalker was… Going the way of Krell. He shook his head. No, no, he'd never do That.

The memory of invisible hands on his throat returned.

Maybe.

"I have to go back." He croaked, feeling a pit in his chest. 

Gythra nodded. "I understand. Well, you don't need to go back right away, do you, dear?"

Rex shook his head.

"Well, why don't you come with me? My sister has a place across town we can stay until your Jedi calms down." She offered, standing up.

"Thanks." he choked, following her lead.

"It's all right dear." She took his hand, leading him back to the city. "If you ever need anything, you can call upon me. I could always do with someone tall around the house. My sister runs a yarn shop, and you know how storage gets-" She rambled, Rex only half-hearing as he was led through the side-streets of Theed. He nearly fell on his face a few times, looking over his shoulder for Skywalker. But the Jedi didn't come after him, and they made it to the cramped shop without being accosted. There was another Drall there, who immediately invited them inside, chatting that she was so worried, are you all right, I'll make some tea-

-Rex could only stare at his tea, feeling numb and weak. The scent still helped, and he listened to the sisters gossiped, slowly letting the darkness take him.

"Poor thing." Gythra sighed as she glanced over her shoulder to see The Captain finally asleep on a pile of Merino.

"Is he staying?" Mollen asked, peering over her glasses at him.

"No, but I think he'll be back." Gythra nodded. "Such a shame, there's so few like them. But he needs time before we can approach him."

"Yes, yes." Mollen nodded, sipping her tea. "I just hope nothing happens before then."

"Hm, I'm afraid I have a very bad feeling about this."

*

In a hotel bathroom in the poorer section of Theed, Ahsoka winced, feeling Anakin roaring in the Force, and Rex's cold, heavy grief. She wanted to reach out to them, to tell them it was all right but-

"I didn’t get you in the eye, did I?" asked Phryne, dabbing her face with bacta by the flickering flouresent lights. The burns weren't too bad, but she'd have to have her hands and face bandaged for a while.

"N-no. Just- they found Talla. They think she's me." Ahsoka gurgled, feeling ill.

"You're sure about this?" Mace Windu folded his arms in the small hologram on the sink beside them. 

"I- I can't stay alive. Whoever did this- if they find out they didn’t kill me and can't find me, they'll go through everyone else to get me." Ahsoka squeezed her eyes shut against the bacta and tears.

"Then it shall be," Mace nodded gravely. "Miss Ausco? I'll send you the codes you need to let Ahsoka assume Talla Sho's identity. I'll… console Skywalker as best I can."

"He'll be okay," Ahsoka said, mostly to herself. "Obi-wan died that one time and he was okay."

"He went on an unauthorized manhunt and nearly got all of you killed." Mace corrected her.

"At least Bane's gone for good now?" She tried. Mace sighed, realizing he wasn't going to be able to sway her. He entered something on his datapad and a moment later Phyrne's beeped a receipt. "Miss Ausco, will you be able to complete the medical droid overrides with the equipment you have?"

"Yeah, I got the hard drive with the code you gave me out, but it'll take me a bit to get a solid setup again-"

"That's time we don't have. I'll handle acquisitions."

"Thank you, sir. We should probably go before someone can trace this call." Phryne chewed her lip as she finished with the bandages and packed up the medkit.

"Goodbye, Ahsoka," Mace spoke softly. "Please, keep in touch this time?"

"I'll try."

"You know what master Yoda says about trying." He chided her, gently.

Ahsoka smiled weakly. "I will."

He bowed his head to her."May the force be with you, Miss Sho." 

*

**SCIPPIO, SECLUDED MOUNTAIN RANGE**

This had taken entirely too long, in Briggan's opinion. 

He waited up on the side of the snowy hill, deep under the cover of brush, rifle at the ready, breathing so slow as to nearly be silent. He'd almost had the murderous bastard the first week in, then he'd picked up a pilot and better ships and guns and minions and all the trapping of the arms trade. It was wise of the Chancellor to put him on the case so fast, imagine if he'd been allowed to grow unchecked. 

Still, Briggan thought as he watched the ship open hatch through the crosshairs of his rifle, I do have to give him some credit. Mercenaries, thieves, flesh-dealers- I never thought anyone could get such a crew of rouges to work, let alone with such efficiency . It's refreshing to see such ambition. Almost a shame, really… He sighed internally. "Mr. King" as he was calling himself, would have to leave the ship eventually. 

Decades of training kept him from flinching at the unearthly cackle, but he was surprised nonetheless, and missed his shot as King bolted out from the ship, onto the landing platform. A moment later, King was in his crosshairs again, but his expression- 

Eyes wide, pupils dilated, panting, howling with laughter- Briggan thought he must we intoxicated on some exotic spice, but- 

"Can you feel it? Alanda, oh my darling!" he stared straight at Briggan, no- through him, into some twisted beyond. "Oh! it’s coming it’s coming it’s coming! Oh Alanda! It's so beautiful!" 

In the scope, Briggan saw his consort appear over his shoulder, looking confused but not disturbed. "What's coming?" 

King bit his fingers, almost drawing blood. He gasped, eyes burning bright yellow. Briggan felt himself grow ill. 

"Nightfall!" 

Take the shot, damn it! Briggan's training hissed at him, and he breathed in again, re-checking the wind and distance. Not too far, not a breath of air, perfect conditions. Just like a hundred shots he'd taken before- so why could he taste bile in the back of his throat? No matter. I came here with a job and I'm going to finish it. Now. 

The shot echoed through the cold air, and King fell back. 

Good- no, wait- He was screaming. And sitting back up, clutching the side of his face. Dammit! How did I miss? Alanda was trying to drag him into cover, but King was already getting his footing, searching- 

Briggan rolled out of his hole and padded along the path back to his ship before that thing could find him. He'd lost this opportunity, but it wasn't worth sticking around to get his brains sucked out. I'll get him yet. Best to retreat and not give away my identity. Over the hill, then down the steep, rocky trail that led to his clearing. As the sun began to set in the east, his mind echoed over and over in horrible glee: 

****Nightfall.** **


End file.
